Buxton’s Serpentine Depot to be redeveloped

Plans have been unveiled to renovate the old Serpentine Parks depot and glasshouses, near Burlington Road, Buxton, and convert it into a teaching facility.

The proposal, by Transition Buxton, is to bring the facility back into community use and use it to grow food again.

During the First World War, the site was used to grow food, but has since fallen into dereliction.

The facility could soon reopen to the public for classes in horticulture and gardening skills, while any produce would be sold on to supply the University of Derby Buxton’s catering school and Buxton’s restaurants.

Steve Taylor, of Transition Buxton, presented the idea to the Buxton Town Team and Buxton Civic Association at a meeting in Buxton last Tuesday.

He said: “We had a really positive response from everyone with lots of ideas for co-operation, volunteering and community involvement. We’re now waiting for the building survey which will help us cost and plan the project.”

Town Team chairman Roddie MacLean said: “I think this is a valuable and imaginative regeneration project for Buxton and clearly an appropriate use of the site.”