ALTHOUGH a great supporter of the National Park and the greater Peak District (and an active member of the Tourist Board and constantly trying to promote our wonderful area including the numerous assets of our marvellously friendly town) I am increasingly concerned at the rejection of various, to my mind and others, planning applications in the last few months.
I am referring to the Litton Properties application at Riverside, Bakewell, the recent application by Cathelco at Hartington and the Wind Turbine application for Robert Gosling’s dairy farm at Parwich.(ANT 18 Jan 2012)
The arguments of all the applications are well documented. The first two, I believe, had Officer recommendation for approval and were rejected. The third, Robert’s, had recommendation for refusal and subsequently was turned down.
I am the Derbyshire Dales District Councillor for the Dovedale and Parwich Ward and I lobbied hard for Robert’s application, especially as it also had endorsement from the locality including the Parish Council.
I write to express my deep concern especially as the recently convened ‘Business Group’ for the Peak namely Business Peak District state in the recent Parklife edition (Oct 2011) that it is ’promoting the special setting of the Peak District to do business’.
In these three applications (which have cumulatively cost the applicants probably at least £100k) business has been rejected or a sustainable future hampered.
Furthermore the headlines in the Press are all negative and I fear that the Peak District will not progress and prosper until the business community are properly recognised in the National Park and our area shown in a positive light.
Sir Richard FitzHerbert, Tissington
