Report by Local Democracy Reporter – Eddie Bisknell
Plans to turn a long-serving former B&B into a six-person HMO directly below one of Derbyshire’s most renowned and ‘giddy’ tourist attractions have been approved.
At a Derbyshire Dales District Council meeting this month (Tuesday, February 10), councillors approved plans from Akshay and Pardeep Sobti to make changes to the former Stone Lodge B&B on the A6 below the infamous Giddy Edge hiking path.
The former B&B has been closed for around a year after being in use for a “very, very long time”, council officials said, and would provide three parking spots for the six tenants.
Stone Lodge, a six-bed property, sits directly off the A6 below the Giddy Edge hiking trail, which is a renowned path which hugs the cliff edge some 300 feet above the valley below, complete with a safety rail, dubbed one of the scariest footpaths.
Emma Saxton, who lives close to the property, said the “very busy tourist corridor” had existing parking and traffic issues which would be worsened by the HMO, particularly the “very busy” and “constrained” A6.
Adam Nash, a further resident, said there was a history in the surrounding area with issues relating to HMOs, involving police and council action to shut down the facilities.
He said there was a clear difference between a B&B with constant supervision for short-term guests, compared to long-term unrelated guests without permanent supervision.
Mr Nash claimed the facilities would be “cramped” with concern for the future occupants.
Cllr Matt Buckler, reading a statement on behalf of Cllr Nick Whitehead said: “Matlock Bath is a very small settlement with a very fragile balance of housing types.
“We already have several HMOs within a short stretch of Dale Road and the surrounding area. Residents are worried, reasonably, that another HMO risks tipping that balance.
“Risks undermining balance.”
He said he had “deep concerns” that the planned change was “not compatible with this area of the village”, with disturbance linked to existing HMOs nearby.
Cllr Buckler, on behalf of Cllr Whithead said: “This is not a case of resisting change for its own sake.”
Cllr David Hughes shared his confusion that Derbyshire County Council’s highways department had, on a separate application, required a property on a quiet lane to be able to have cars leave in a forward gear, but offered no objection to vehicles reversing onto the A6 with this application.
He said: “I don’t see how that is not a safety hazard. It just does not seem to be a sensible thing to be able to do.”
Chris Dale, the council’s development manager, said a B&B use would present the same issues with parking but that he understood the concern about the A6, saying it was “rather unusual”.
He said there were three additional HMOs in the wider area, which he said was not sufficient to be classed as a cumulative impact worth rejecting the application for.
Cllr Lucy Peacock said she understood the issues but said the council had a legal obligation to provide a five-year housing land supply and had a moral obligation to provide housing for young people.
She said: “I think we need this. It looks quite nice, is reasonably spacious and quite a lot better than some of them.”
Cllr Peter Slack said: “Everyone is taking it for granted that everyone has a car, a lot of young people don’t. They can’t afford to run them. I don’t think this issue of cars will be a major issue.
“Young people need houses and we have got to find those places for young single people. This is not holiday lets taking up houses in villages.”
Cllr Peter Dobbs said Matlock Bath and Matlock were driven by tourism and hospitality, and that those industries were in turn dirven by young people.
He said: “Where do we expect them to live? Do we expect to bus it in from Derby?”
Cllr Dobbs said potential anti-social behaviour and noise issues would be for licensing to oversee and enforce.
