Homes to be built in the grounds and outbuildings of an “iconic” Derbyshire castle - despite concerns the skyline will be affected

The plans for housing at Riber Castle.The plans for housing at Riber Castle.
The plans for housing at Riber Castle.
Homes will be built in the grounds and outbuildings of an “iconic” Derbyshire castle despite concerns that its spot in the skyline will be affected.

Riber Castle sits in a commanding position on the hillside 200 metres above Matlock and at a Derbyshire Dales District Council meeting last night members were keen to protect that view.

It was described by planning officers as “one of the most iconic sites in the entire district”, with the Grade-I listed building dating back to the 1860s, built by mill owner John Smedley.

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At the meeting, councillors approved plans from Cross Tower Ventures to build 11 homes in the castle grounds and nine homes through the conversion of outbuildings and the gatehouse.

This marks another chapter in the castle’s history, having been a stately home, a school, a Government base, a zoo and now housing.

Adam Maxwell, a council planning officer, said these plans would be following through with the remaining parts of the permission granted in 2006 by the secretary of state.

That permission included 46 homes, with 26 in the castle itself and 20 in its grounds and outbuildings.

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Mr Maxwell said the 20 homes in the grounds and outbuildings were “enabling development” to pave the way for the conservation of the castle itself and would have been deemed “unacceptable” in any other circumstances.

Work to convert the castle into 26 apartments is now nearing completion, the meeting heard.

Doug Pealing, who has lived in the hamlet of Riber for 35 years and was part of the former Keep Riber Rural campaign group when the plans were first approved, said homes needed to be designed to keep the rural views and isolation of the castle intact.

However, he said changes to the application would be “hugely harmful” to the view of the castle from the south, with two homes being visible above the castle walls.

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Ian Dixon, a Riber resident, said highways safety concerns had not been properly addressed with online deliveries among other changes having increased markedly since the application’s initial 2006 approval.

He said vans would be “clogging” up the surrounding lanes and more passing places would be needed.

Sandra Dixon, also a Riber resident, was concerned about the castle potentially having two routes through the hamlet, saying the 2006 planning inspector had wanted the “separate identities” of Riber and the castle retained.

She claimed the developer was already making changes without the necessary prior approval, saying they were “doing what suits them with no consideration for their neighbours”.

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Rob Wright, of Cross Tower Ventures, said he and his family had already succeeded in saving Riber Castle from ruin.

He said it did not have a roof and there were trees growing inside it when his family bought it.

Mr Wright said: “Nobody wanted to see the castle come down and what we have done has saved it for generations to come.

“At any stage of the project since my family purchased the castle we have simply wanted to restore it and its surrounding buildings to their former glory.

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“Many developers looking for a quick buck could have gone down easier or cheaper routes but this has never been an option to us.”

He said the site had been “passionately restored” by a family who wanted the best for a local landmark, for the benefit of all of Matlock.

Mr Wright said: “Tourists for decades will still be able to see the castle on the hill.”

Cllr Nick Whitehead questioned the lack of affordable housing, with fears a precedent was being set for no lower-priced homes on schemes which were more difficult to build.

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Officers said the original approval did not include affordable housing and this could not be changed, and that the logic that had been used was to see as little development as possible on the site.

This logic led to the thought that building affordable housing would lead to more homes being required and more construction in order to fund the castle conservation works.

Cllr Neil Buttle said he had loved the site of the castle on the hill since he was a “nipper” and did not want to see the “crenelations” – the jagged castle wall edges – affected by development.

A home on the south side of the site would rise above the castle wall and partially block part of its silhouette.

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Cllr Laura Mellstrom raised concerns about the external lighting in place on the site to ensure it was not heavily lit up, with officers saying they would be aiming for the lowest level of lighting possible.

Cllr Stuart Lees said it was a “wonderful development” already, having seen the works to the castle, saying “the workmanship and craftsmanship is remarkable”.

All but two councillors voted to approve the development, with Cllr Buttle voting against the plans and Cllr Sue Burfoot abstaining due to the lack of consideration of the plots obscuring the view of the castle.

Of the homes, none would be classed as affordable housing, with four three-bedroom properties, 12 four-bed homes, three five-bed properties and one seven-bedroom house.

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The converted buildings would include the stable block, coach house, saddlery and tower.

A helipad had been planned west of the main castle complex, in the paddock outside the garden walls, which was to be offered as a service to residents and allow access to “parties visiting or travelling to Matlock”. This has now been removed from the scheme.

An underground car park is also detailed on the site layout plan, with the overall site to have 111 parking spaces.

Of the new-build houses, two would be built in the enclosed castle gardens, three in the kitchen gardens, one would be built just outside the kitchen garden wall, two close to the main entrance behind an existing lodge, one would be built close to Riber Road on the southern part of the site and one on the north-eastern edge of the site.

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