Determined campaigners have drawn battle lines in their fight to stop developers converting part of a treasured Derbyshire woodland into a holiday park after more than 100 concerned people attended a packed meeting.
The Save Farley Woods campaign group hosted a meeting, on October 22, at The Whitworth Hotel, in Darley Dale, in opposition to Forest Holidays’ planning application to Derbyshire Dales District Council to build 75 cabins in 140 acres of woodland at Farley Moor, off Farley Lane, near Matlock.
Campaigner Jim Dixon told the meeting: “It’s brilliant to see so many people here tonight and absolutely reinforces my view that trees and woodlands make our lives so wonderful.”
He added: “Planners have to think about economic development but please tell them this development is too big and it’s in the wrong place and the impact on roads and wildlife will be terrible.”
The scheme features plans for nine one-bed cabins, 35 two-bed cabins, 22 three-bed cabins, five four-bed cabins and four five-bed treehouse cabins to accommodate 185 people.
Proposals also include parking spaces, a reception, shop, cafe, maintenance building and outdoor play area, a ranger station, storage pods, recycling points, ancillary roads, paths, and an archery range.
Many residents and campaigners have raised objections including concerns about potential noise and light pollution, increased traffic congestion, road safety, access, loss of trees and the impact on wildlife, the disturbance of land releasing peat into the atmosphere, and the over-saturation of the area’s holiday market.
Mr Dixon criticised the amount of forest land earmarked for the scheme after the site makes up about a third of the 440-acre Farley Moor as opposed to similar schemes like Forest Holidays’ holiday park in the massive Forest of Dean.
He added the proposed site includes two key wildlife areas which campaigners fear will threaten not only trees and orchids but birds including the rare nightjar, owls, badgers and foxes.
The campaign group has also been left stumped after Derbyshire County Council’s highways authority has raised no objections when the plans are expected to attract more cars while nearby Matlock already suffers with congestion.
Campaigner Carol Taylor said: “75 cars will have to leave that site daily. Every day they will turn left. They will drive into Matlock and go to Gulliver’s Kingdom or the Peak District.”
Mr Dixon also questioned Yorkshire Water studies because residents are concerned about where excess water from the park will run-off to with rainfall when Matlock already suffers with flooding.
He added Forest Holidays is a commercial company which will benefit from overseas funding and backers with little concern for the area or local businesses.
Resident Robin Farmer said: “We are in danger of laying down and allowing the green lungs of Farley Moor to be polluted by offshore investors looking to make a quick buck at our cost.
“We are just providing a vehicle for tax-evaders in Jersey – lining the pockets of those at the cost of local residents, and I am very sceptical about the employment and what they say they are going to do.”
The Council for the Protection of Rural England has objected to the scheme claiming there is insufficient infrastructure to cope with increasing numbers or people and it feels there is not enough of an explanation on why this tourism will not affect the ecosystem and neighbourhood.
It also argues that Derbyshire Wildlife Trust believes the development will threaten northern Farley Moor which is a crucial area for birds.
The Clean Rivers Trust has also objected due to concerns about a feared threat of harm from the proposed development to others’ water supply.
Derbyshire Dales Town Council has also objected to the scheme with concerns about light pollution, highways and the impact on the environment and limited infrastructure.
However, Matlock Town Council, Natural England and Derbyshire County Council’s Highways department have raised no objections but the county council stated that it would welcome improvements to the planned site’s access and junctions.
Forest Holidays has stated money generated by the scheme will go back into woodland management and there will be a boost for the economy creating 48 new jobs increasing to 57 in three years while the scheme will be sensitive to the environment with a management plan for a more diverse forest canopy.
Land manager Forestry England – which says it is a responsible and supportive landlord to Forest Holidays – has argued a Highways Statement and Travel Plan confirms the existing network is capable of accommodating what it regards as a ‘modest increase’ in traffic, and more sustainable travel options will be provided.
It states it has been advised the development will have no adverse effect upon the highway and no safety concerns are expected, and further proposed improvements include enhancements to the access point off Farley Lane.
Forestry England added that plans include the removal of approximately 10 per cent of trees and it argued ‘additional tree removal’ will be needed for normal thinning and to minimise the impact of Dothistroma Needle Blight infection.
It claims there will also be an enhancement of the woodland on an ongoing basis to change the woodland at Farley Moor from coniferous pine to continuous cover native woodland.
Forestry England also claims the proposals are designed to deliver ‘biodiversity net gain’ and ecological surveys and studies have been conducted including assessments for protected species and measures will be put in place to ensure there will be ‘no adverse impact or loss of habitat’.
It also stated lighting, and avoiding light pollution will be carefully considered.
The Save Farley Woods campaign group, which has organised a petition and a Facebook page and is appealing for experts to help them, has urged those with concerns to submit views on the council’s planning website page despite the formal consultation ending on October 1 and to write to their Dales councillor.
Mr Dixon, quoted a line from singer Joni Mitchell’s song Big Yellow Taxi, when he said: “As Joni Mitchell said they are literally going to ‘pave paradise and put up a parking lot’.”
Campaigners said the council’s planning committee may consider Forest Holidays’ planning application at a meeting on either November 12 or December 10 but warned that should the scheme be refused there will most likely be an appeal.
Ms Taylor said: “It’s our land, it belongs to us. It is a community asset and we deserve the right to be able to keep walking in it.”
