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Dismissed1 July 20253357215

Former School Site , Land West of Starkholmes Road , Starkholmes, Matlock, Derbyshire , DE4 5JE

Planning appeal 3357215 at Former School Site , Land West of Starkholmes Road , Starkholmes, Matlock, Derbyshire , DE4 5JE (Derbyshire Dales District Council) was dismissed on 1 July 2025 by Inspector O'Neill A, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area, with particular regard to the Matlock Bath Conservation Area and the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site.

Erection of a new dwelling with associated parking and works of hard and soft landscaping

Authority
Derbyshire Dales District Council
Appeal type
other · Planning Appeal
Procedure
Written Representations
Development
residential · Unknown
Inspector
O'Neill A
Postcode
DE4 5JE

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • the effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area, with particular regard to the Matlock Bath Conservation Area and the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site

What decided it

The less-than-substantial but nonetheless significant harm to the Matlock Bath Conservation Area's significance, combined with harm to the character and appearance of the area, outweighed the limited public benefits of delivering a single dwelling in circumstances where heritage asset protection policies provide a strong reason for refusal.

The harm to the character and appearance of the area and to the significance of the Matlock Bath Conservation Area, given great weight, outweighed the limited public benefits of a single dwelling and modest economic and biodiversity gains, such that the presumption in favour of sustainable development did not apply.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy S4Policy PD1Policy PD2Policy S2Policy S1
National Planning Policy Framework
Paragraph 11Paragraph 215Paragraph 225

How the Inspector dealt with each one is set out in the app, in order: the development plan, national policy, housing land supply, other considerations and the planning balance, beside the letter.

See how each was applied

The decision letter

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More decisions in Derbyshire Dales

The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025

  1. Allowed7 October 20266008081
    The Range, 1 High Street, Bonsall, DE4 2AS
  2. Allowed7 October 20266008049
    The Range, 1 High Street, Bonsall, DE4 2AS
  3. Dismissed6 October 20266009243
    19 Paxton Close, Matlock, DE4 3TD
  4. Dismissed22 September 20266012575
    72 Wolds Rise, Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 3HJ
  5. Dismissed17 August 20266009542
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The main issues, what decided it, the planning balance and the policies and judgments listed as cited are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro and are our summary, not the Inspector’s words; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.

In the app this decision sits on the map beside every appeal around it, with its letter to read and the main issues, policies and judgments cited picked out.