Plans for the development of a water bottling plant at Cowdale (aka Staden) Quarry have been rejected by High Peak Borough Council.

The application, tabled by Express Park Buxton, was considered by the Development Control Committee on Monday 11 October, and the senior planning officer’s recommendation was that planning permission be refused based on a number of grounds, informed by national guidelines for industrial development.

In brief it was felt that the proposals would;

• harm the visual amenity and character of the countryside and special landscape area;
• introduce industrial development into the countryside clearly visible from the Peak District National Park;
• result in the loss of trees and ancient woodland contained within the designated Ashwood Dale local wildlife site; and that
• insufficient information had been provided which considered the potential noise generation from the plant; the proposals could have a harmful affect on local residents.

In making the submission, the planning officer pointed out that national guidelines recommend that “industrial development should take place in urban areas and not in designated countryside areas “ and that the officers were not satisfied that alternative sites could not be found in a more urban setting (e.g. an industrial estate).

It is now likely that the developers will appeal against this decision.

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