Buxton Methodist Church, On Chapel Street, Buxton, Taken By Ldr Jon Cooper
Report by Local Democracy Reporter – Jon Cooper
Derbyshire planners have approved a scheme to convert a former residential nursing home into 13 apartments after controversially agreeing to withdraw previous requests for at least three affordable homes with the development and financial contributions towards the community.
High Peak Borough Council’s Development Control Committee granted planning permission at a meeting at Buxton Methodist Church, on July 13, for applicant Mr D. Rai to convert the Portland Nursing Home, on Park Road, in Buxton, into apartments after considering a viability assessment which deemed requests for the affordable homes and community financial contributions as unviable.
The council appointed experts Fisher German to carry out an independent review of the applicant’s Viability Appraisal prepared by DG Development Consultancy and it concluded the development was unviable under the previous arrangements and it would be unable to support any Section 106 financial contributions or affordable housing.
A council spokesperson stated: “The conclusions by Fisher German make clear that a policy compliant scheme is not financially viable.
“Moreover, even if the proposal was to be a fully open market scheme with no affordable housing it would still be unviable when allowing for the other financial contributions towards leisure and recreation.
“As such, whilst it is regrettable that the originally sought Section 106 matters will not be able to be secured, the advice from Fisher German leads officers to conclude that there are no longer any reasonable grounds to secure financial contributions relating to affordable housing, leisure and recreation provision within a S106 Agreement.”
The committee originally resolved in May, 2025, to grant planning permission for the conversion and extension of the Portland Nursing Home building to create 13 residential units subject to securing affordable housing and financial contributions relating to leisure and recreation through an S106 Agreement and planning conditions.
A planning statement previously reported that the nursing home had originally closed down because it was no longer viable based on the occupancy of between 20 to 25 beds.
The latest scheme for 13 one and two-bedroom apartments includes plans for 13 off-street parking spaces on the site with sufficient space for vehicles to turn and exit along with a grassed garden area.
Plans for a two-storey extension as part of the scheme aim to provide living-dining areas at ground, first and second floor level.
A public consultation into the scheme attracted only four ‘neutral representations’, according to the council, with potential concerns about access for emergency services, bin storage, insufficient parking spaces, and the potential impact on trees and privacy.
Severn Trent Water raised no objections to the scheme subject to drainage plans for the disposal of surface water and foul sewage.
And a Derbyshire County Council analysis was satisfied that there would be capacity at the area’s primary and secondary schools for any potential increase in the number of future pupils with the scheme.
Derbyshire County Council’s highways authority also raised no objections subject to the provision of a secure cycle storage area, and its flooding authority made no comments while High Peak Borough Council’s Environmental Health Officer also raised no objections to the scheme.
Despite a shortfall of seven car parking spaces, according to the borough council’s guidelines, council officers stated that the scheme is in a sustainable and accessible location near the town centre with a nearby railway station and bus stops which allow for the limited number of car parking spaces.
The borough council is also satisfied that even though the site lies in the Buxton Park Conservation Area the proposed external works to the building are expected to preserve the character and appearance of the building and the wider setting of the heritage asset.
The original planning permission was to be subject to an S106 Agreement including three ‘affordable housing units’ among the scheme’s new homes and a £17,281.55 contribution towards play, open space, parks and gardens and allotment provision.
An agent for the applicant stated: “Due to the passage of time and general state of the market the applicant is regrettably no longer able to offer affordable housing as part of the scheme.”
The council’s development committee followed officers’ latest recommendations after considering the scheme’s viability issues and granted planning permission for the development without the previously recommended S106 Agreement but still subject to conditions.
An agent for the applicant added: “We hope that members will agree that while regrettable this is acceptable, and nevertheless the scheme will deliver much needed housing in a sustainable and appropriate location.”
Conditions for the scheme include a Construction Management Plan, a Lighting Scheme, a Bat and Bird Box Enhancement Strategy, details of bin storage and waste collection, a drainage strategy for surface water and foul sewage, and for precautionary tree protection measures during the development.
