Latest News - February 2012

We're chuffed to announce that Blue Peter fans have the chance to take part in an exclusive walk with much loved former presenter Simon Groom, as part of our Magnficent Charity Walk on Sunday 15 April.

Simon is our vice president and he has kindly agreed to guide a select band of ten people around the Magnificent 7 Miles route. Simon is best known for presenting Blue Peter during the 1980s. Following Blue Peter he became a documentary maker and a farmer in his beloved Peak District.

“Friends of the Peak District have asked me to walk the seven mile route with a select band of fellow supporters! I rarely get a chance for country walks because I’m so busy with work on our farm and my TV production company. So I’m really looking forward to it, and to meeting some like-minded people. I can’t promise that I won’t occasionally stop to admire the beautiful landscapes, but there will be plenty of time to chat about Blue Peter, and life after it,” said Simon.

To take part in this exclusive walk costs £50. Please contact Danny or ring 0114 266 5822 if you are interested.  

Three more magnificent routes

On top of this exclusive walk, there's a choice of three different walks so everyone can take part:
• The 21 Mile Challenge - taking in some of most the iconic places of the Peak District including Chatsworth Park, Derwent Valley Heritage Way, the Monsal Trail and Frogatt Wood.
• The Magnificent 7 Miles -  a whistle stop tour around some of the most inspiring views and places in the Peak District including Monsal Dale, Litton, Cressbrook, Little Longstone, Great Longstone and Brushfield.
• The Three Cake Challenge - a short relaxing walk, suitable for even the smallest of feet, with 3 cake stops on route. Taking in the Monsal Trail and exclusive access to gardens of Thornbridge Hall, plus treasure hunt!  
 

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The future of Cowdale Quarry near Buxton is now to be decided by a Public Inquiry. This is good news. It will give the opportunity for a really thorough examination of the scheme, and we’ve got high hopes that it will get kicked out once and for all!

Express Park Buxton submitted plans to build the five-hectare water bottling factory and distribution site in early 2010 and again in 2011. We fought both applications along with local campaigners, and High Peak Borough Council unanimously rejected them because they would be “unsustainable” and “harmful to character and visual appearance of the countryside and special landscape area.” The Council also had concerns about the impact the building would have on the National Park.

Developers then appealed to the Government’s Planning Inspectorate against High Peak’s decision on the second application. The Planning Inspectorate recently announced that the decision will be made following a Public Inquiry. The Planning Inspectorate is accepting comments until 12 March 2012.

Please have your say about this valuable green space! You’ve got until 12 March to tell the Planning Inspectorate why the appeal should be dismissed. An enormous bottling plant in the middle of beautiful countryside on the edge of the National Park just won’t go!

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A series of three new guides and events are now available to help lead you through the planning labyrinth and explain the latest Government reforms to the English planning system. The free pocket guides make it clear how you can influence the future of the area in which you live. They detail how you can contribute to both neighbourhood and local plans, and describe how to respond to planning applications. The guides are from Campaign to Protect Rural England (represented by Friends of the Peak District in the Peak District) and the National Association of Local Councils.
 
There is also a new free eLearning programme which includes short courses that examine the step-by-step processes outlined in the guides using real world scenarios. A series of local training events is being run across the country between now and the end of March.

The Guides:

How to respond to planning applications: an 8-step guide

A 61 page A5 booklet that gives an easy to follow, step-by-step guide to responding to a local planning application. For many this will be the first time they come into contact with the planning system. This guide aims to make the process simple, straight forward, and help any submissions to have the largest and most effective impact.

Planning Explained

A 69 page A5 booklet that gives an introduction to the planning system and explains why it is important if you want to help decide the future of your community. The guide focuses on the role of Local Plans, where the big decisions on planning for the future of communities and land are made. It includes an eight step guide on how to get involved and contribute to your local plan.

How to shape where you live: a guide to neighbourhood planning

A 61 page A5 booklet that focuses on the role of Neighbourhood Plans. It explains their purpose and gives a simple eight step guide on how to start drafting an effective Neighbourhood Plan. 
 

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