£6.5million visitor centre at Derbyshire tourist attraction gets green light

At a Derbyshire Dales District Council meeting, plans from the Institute of Quarrying for a new “discovery centre”, 1,200 square metre piazza, museum and exhibition space, 100-seat cafe and restaurant, gift shop, offices and children’s playground at the National Stone Centre in the former Coal Hills Quarry, near Wirksworth, were unanimously approved.

The existing 30-year-old discovery centre would be demolished under the new plans, once the new structure is completed.

At the meeting, concerns over the capacity of the surrounding foul drainage system were raised, with issues leading from expansion at other plots including the Mount Cook Adventure Centre. This had included 35 toilets, 35 showers and 35 sinks, with the new stone centre expansion to see 15 further toilets, 17 sinks and five urinals.

Pete Harrington, owner of the nearby Ravenstor Industrial Estate for the past 30 years, told the meeting that he felt the development would be a “huge benefit to Wirksworth” but that sewage disposal “had not been considered”.

He said a couple of weeks ago there was a “serious sewage leak” on the industrial estate, with a manhole cover blowing under the pressure and leaving four-inch-deep sewage in the surrounding area.

Mr Harrington said this presented a “public health hazard” to his tenants, which Severn Trent are clearing up, but claimed to have had no response from the stone centre when he approached it about the existing and future issues.

He said: “Unless these two conditions (for the capacity to be improved and maintained by Severn Trent) are attached (to the application) there will be many more manhole blowouts on the estate causing a huge public health problem to our tenants.”

Adam Maxwell, a district council planning officer, said the scheme showcased a “contemporary, high quality design”, which would be appropriate for the spot it would be built in, would “serve cultural heritage”, enhance public access and improve biodiversity.

He said the existing sewer network “may need to be upgraded” but this may fall under building regulations, and is acceptable from the point of view of planning officials.

Overall, the changes will see an increase in 57 parking spots – and the facility would provide 20 new jobs.