Calls for council intervention as plans submitted for marquee and car park next to Chesterfield listed buildings

Dunston Hall Leisure Limited has submitted a planning application to place a marquee on the land owned by Dunston Hall, Garden Centre and Farm on Dunston Road. If approved, the marquee will remain at Dunston Hall for three years and will be accompanied by a car park for visitors.

Dunston Hall, which has origins in the 17th Century, is Grade II listed building.The land planned for the marquee is next to the farmyard, which dates back the 1820s.

Philip Riden, Chairman of Chesterfield and District Civic Society, which has submitted an objection said: “The proposed marquee and car park would affect very adversely Dunston Hall Farm. The proposed works immediately adjoin the property on its south-eastern and southern sides.”

He added: “The applicant has not given any reasons for wishing to erect a marquee and create additional parking spaces. He has already built a car-park at the front of Dunston Hall and has applied for planning permission

to convert a range of former farm buildings to use in connection with his business. It is not clear why he needs this additional accommodation.”

The proposal to build the marquee and the car park follows previous planning applications to convert buildings at Dunston Hall, which have not been decided yet.

Mr Riden said: “We note with regret that the planning and listed building applications submitted in February and August this year for the conversion of the former farm buildings have yet to be decided. In 2021 the applicant carried out unauthorised work on Dunston Hall without planning permission or listed building consent and the Borough Council took no action against him.

“There is a risk that he will conclude that it is safe to go ahead with unauthorised work on the farm buildings without fear of retribution.

“We would strongly urge the Borough Council to make a decision on the earlier applications as soon as possible to prevent the loss of these important buildings. We continue to take the view that, if permission is granted, stringent conditions should be imposed, on the lines already outlined by both ourselves and the Derbyshire County Council archaeological officers.”

Residents have also raised objections to the plans.

Kirk Hayles who lives close to the proposed development site at Dunston Grange. He said: “A temporary marquee was located on the site in the summer of 2022 for functions and the noise level was unbearable on more than

one occasion.”

Another resident Nicola Corrigan added: “It is not reasonable to expect people to put up with the noise for three years with no noise attenuation.”

The planning statement submitted on behalf of the applicant states plans are currently pending for the conversion of some of the listed outbuildings for use as a function room ancillary to the main building.

In the meantime they state the marquee will allow the new wedding business to continue to grow and support the use of the listed building.