Latest news with #DerbyshireDales
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Two new public toilets opened by council
Two public toilets that shut in part of Derbyshire in 2018 have been replaced with new ones. Derbyshire Dales District Council said it had opened accessible unisex toilet facilities in Ashbourne and Matlock. At Ashbourne Park, the new toilet opened to the public this week with support from Ashbourne Town Council. At Artists' Corner on Dale Road in Matlock Dale, the council said a new toilet opened in June and would be open on a seasonal basis until the end of October. The authority said the openings followed the saving of a toilet earmarked for closure at Monsal Head, while new toilets are planned at Darley Dale's Whitworth Centre. Follow BBC Derby on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@ or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. Former public toilets being turned into snack bar Town to introduce first charge for public toilets Privacy concerns over CCTV in female toilets Derbyshire Dales District Council
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New estate plan stalls over affordable homes deal
Previously approved new homes in Derbyshire are now set to be rejected due to the developer not signing a legal agreement over infrastructure and affordabe homes. Woodall Homes will not agree to build 17 affordable homes and pay £63,000 in improvements to nearby health facilities, parks and allotments as part of a 57-home development surrounding Jacksons Ley in Middleton, near Wirksworth. Derbyshire Dales District councillors approved plans in November 2023 with officials to seal the required infrastructure payments and affordable homes via a legal agreement. Council officials now say the process has stalled due to an "unwillingness of all the parties to sign the legal agreement". Having previously urged councillors to approve the plans, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said officials were now advising them to change their minds and reject the scheme at a meeting on Tuesday. The plans, which had seen 13 objections from residents, along with opposition from Middleton Parish Council, had required £51,300 for improvements at nearby medical centres, £8,327 for parks and £3,368 for allotments. Council officers wrote: "Collectively the planning obligations which were being sought helped to mitigate the impact of the 57 dwellings. "Without the legal agreement no affordable homes will be provided and the financial contributions towards health care, parks and gardens and allotments would be lost. "This makes the development unacceptable in planning terms and contrary to the development plan. "In the absence of a completed legal agreement, the only course of action is to refuse the application." LDRS said the proposed homes would encircle the new-build Jacksons Ley development, which was only approved at appeal. During the November 2023 planning meeting, Darren Abbott, on behalf of Woodall Homes, said the firm aimed to replicate its successful schemes in Darley Dale, Matlock and Tansley. He said the plot "straddles" the settlement boundary and part of the site was allocated for 45 homes, representing a "logical and sustainable development". Mr Abbott said the firm had reduced the number of homes planned on-site from 75 to 57 due to the concerns of consultees and residents, saying the scheme would "create an attractive gateway into the village". He said the site would cater for first-time buyers, "downsizers" and people with mobility requirements – particularly through the inclusion of seven bungalows. Wirksworth councillor Peter Slack said: "It is squashing houses and gardens in a small area. It is not a way people should be living. "They should have a reasonable garden. Cars are going to be on pavements, it is all squashed in. It is a very, very poor design altogether." Follow BBC Derby on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@ or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. Derbyshire Dales District Council Local Democracy Reporting Service
BBC News
04-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Approved new Wirksworth homes now set to be rejected by council
Previously approved new homes in Derbyshire are now set to be rejected due to the developer not signing a legal agreement over infrastructure and affordabe Homes will not agree to build 17 affordable homes and pay £63,000 in improvements to nearby health facilities, parks and allotments as part of a 57-home development surrounding Jacksons Ley in Middleton, near Dales District councillors approved plans in November 2023 with officials to seal the required infrastructure payments and affordable homes via a legal officials now say the process has stalled due to an "unwillingness of all the parties to sign the legal agreement". Having previously urged councillors to approve the plans, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said officials were now advising them to change their minds and reject the scheme at a meeting on Tuesday. The plans, which had seen 13 objections from residents, along with opposition from Middleton Parish Council, had required £51,300 for improvements at nearby medical centres, £8,327 for parks and £3,368 for officers wrote: "Collectively the planning obligations which were being sought helped to mitigate the impact of the 57 dwellings."Without the legal agreement no affordable homes will be provided and the financial contributions towards health care, parks and gardens and allotments would be lost."This makes the development unacceptable in planning terms and contrary to the development plan."In the absence of a completed legal agreement, the only course of action is to refuse the application."LDRS said the proposed homes would encircle the new-build Jacksons Ley development, which was only approved at appeal. 'Poor design' During the November 2023 planning meeting, Darren Abbott, on behalf of Woodall Homes, said the firm aimed to replicate its successful schemes in Darley Dale, Matlock and said the plot "straddles" the settlement boundary and part of the site was allocated for 45 homes, representing a "logical and sustainable development".Mr Abbott said the firm had reduced the number of homes planned on-site from 75 to 57 due to the concerns of consultees and residents, saying the scheme would "create an attractive gateway into the village".He said the site would cater for first-time buyers, "downsizers" and people with mobility requirements – particularly through the inclusion of seven councillor Peter Slack said: "It is squashing houses and gardens in a small area. It is not a way people should be living."They should have a reasonable garden. Cars are going to be on pavements, it is all squashed in. It is a very, very poor design altogether."
Telegraph
06-06-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
‘My hut has no running water but the council charged me double tax'
When Derbyshire Dales district council voted to saddle second home owners with double council tax bills, officials argued it would free up more homes for first-time buyers. Those prospective buyers, however, likely have little appetite for a one-bedroom 1920s hutment with no running water, electricity or mains sewage system. And yet the council saw it fit to slap owners John and Fiona Jeffrey with a double council tax bill, amounting to £3,000 a year. Mr Jeffery, 66, and Mrs Jeffery, 63, whose main residence is in Sheffield, are outraged – not least because you would be hard-pressed to call their hutment habitable. It is inaccessible by road and a 40-minute walk from the nearest village. Had the council wanted to inform the couple in writing about the property's new tax bill, they wouldn't have been able to send a letter because there is no postal service. In fact, it is difficult to think of any council service that reaches their property. There is no bin collection or street lighting let alone libraries or schools. And yet, they are one of around 1,000 second home owners in the Derbyshire Dales who must now pay twice as much for these services.
BBC News
23-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
New Ashbourne Park splashpad plan as repair bill thwarts reopening
A replacement is planned for an ageing splashpad at a park in Dales District Council said the 16-year-old facility at Ashbourne Park will not reopen in authority said a new design will cost about £170,000 and residents will be able to have input in what it could look like, with work likely to begin "in late summer".A council spokesperson said it would have cost £10,000 to repair the existing splashpad for one last summer's use due to "serious issues" following the winter break. In 2024, reopening had been delayed into June, missing the May half term school spokesperson said: "We hope local people understand that we can't justify spending that amount of money for around three months of operation up to its removal."Instead, we will be focusing on creating the new splashpad."Elsewhere in the district, a new splashpad opened in Hall Leys Park, Matlock, in April, while a new splashpad is also planned at Bakewell Recreation Ground.
