A housing development described by councillors as being ‘like a Glasgow slum’ and ‘from the 1970s’ has been provisionally approved for Matlock’s north western gateway.
The development on the former Gracelands Garden Centre off Bakewell Road, Darley Dale, will consist of 26 houses, two bungalows and six flats in a modern style offering 34 affordable homes.
Planning permission was granted subject to a survey of the site by the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, however many members of Derbyshire Dales District Council’s Central and Northern Area Planning Committee were unimpressed with the design of the homes.
Cllr Jacque Bevan said: “The design is absolutely horrible. There are small windows, it’s got a mixture of stone and brick and render and it’s far more urban than what we should be looking at.
“If you need to keep the price down it doesn’t mean to say that it’s got to look like some kind of Glasgow slum, and quite frankly this does look like a Glasgow slum.”
The development features a mixture of natural stone and brick in a contemporary style which officers hope will compliment the neighbouring ‘super care home’ once it is built.
Cllr David Fearn, who represents Darley Dale for the authority, added: “It’s neither contemporary enough nor different enough from the 1970s.”
Leader of the council Lewis Rose said: “We can continue much of the same or we can have something more innovative. I’m not saying this is perfect.
“It’s for affordable housing and we have to have some mind of the costs involved.”
Cllr Rose moved for the application to be approved on the condition that some changes be made to the design.
To view the application in full visit the planning page of the district council which can be found at www.derbyshiredales.gov.uk
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