BAKEWELL RIVERSIDE RE-DEVELOPMENT MUST BE ‘GREENER’

Friends of the Peak District, the charity that campaigns for a living, working National Park, are calling for the re-development of the Bakewell Riverside Business Park to conform to Government rules on providing on-site renewable energy supplies.

Revised plans for the site by Litton Properties have improved a welcome number of aspects of the design, including lower house numbers with one in eight now offered as affordable housing. However, despite the site’s location on the banks of the River Wye and its previous history as a water-powered working mill, FPD says it is disappointed that no firm commitments to generate on-site renewable energy have been included.

A great opportunity is being missed here, explains FPD Planning Officer John King. Situated right on the river there is obvious potential for hydro-electric power. At least 10% of the site’s energy needs should be met in this way and we urge the National Park Authority to call for such an element to be a mandatory part of the scheme if planning permission is granted.

FPD wants to see at least 10 per cent of the development’s energy demand to be met by on-site renewables as a condition of any approval of the scheme.

John King adds All local authorities – including in National Parks - must make stringent efforts to ensure that new renewable energy options are taken up to avert the threat of climate change. Commercial development on the scale of the Riverside is rare in the National Park – to approve it without requiring on-site renewables should be unthinkable in the 21st century.

The National Park Authority’s Planning Committee is due to consider the Riverside Business Park proposals at its meeting on October 19th.