Plans for 200 new car parking spaces in town centre

Plans for a new car park and affordable homes on land formerly used as a railway depot have been announced.

High Peak Borough Council said it was purchasing the land next to Buxton station in Derbyshire with the intention of creating 200 parking spaces near the Springs shopping centre.

The authority confirmed a planning application had been submitted by its development partner Capital&Centric.

If the plans are approved, the car park would be due to open in spring 2027, before any construction work takes place in the town centre, the council added.

In December 2022, the authority bought The Springs shopping centre after a successful bid of £6.6m from the government's Future High Street Fund.

It appointed Capital&Centric in 2024 to develop plans for the site, and the company plans to build 332 homes for rent in the town centre, 5% of which would be available at reduced rent for local people, according to the council.

Capital&Centric's plans to revamp Buxton include replacing the existing shopping centre with shops, bars, restaurants and housing, while opening up the River Wye with a new public space.

The authority said it wanted to add to this development with more affordable housing, with 100 new council homes set to be built in Granby Road in the Fairfield area of the town.

Damien Greenhalgh, deputy council leader, said: "We have been working on the redevelopment of the town centre for the past seven years.

"I am excited and pleased to say we have now reached a major milestone – with an application submitted alongside a commitment by this council to address concerns we have been hearing about car parking and the lack of affordable housing.

"Providing much needed affordable housing has long been a challenge in Buxton because of the development costs and market conditions, so it is important we create new opportunities where we can, and building our own houses is a positive step to address local housing needs.

"We have listened too about parking concerns, especially as some spaces will go at The Springs car park for development. We have carried out a whole town car parking survey, and a transport assessment is to follow."

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