Plans For A Proposed Housing Scheme Site, Off Spindle Drive And Deerlands Road, Wingerworth, Courtesy Of Ne Derbyshire District Council
Report by Local Democracy Reporter – Jon Cooper
Insolvency experts are looking into a collapsed developer’s interests in its endangered plans for a Derbyshire housing scheme which is now facing an uncertain future after the construction company fell into the hands of liquidators.
NE Derbyshire District Council’s planning committee conditionally approved Rippon Homes Ltd’s planning application in September for 180 homes, new access, landscaping and infrastructure on seven hectares of countryside land near Spindle Drive and Deerlands Road, at Wingerworth, near Chesterfield.
But Chesterfield-based Rippon Homes Ltd ceased trading and entered into Creditors Voluntary Liquidation, on April 30, and appointed Manchester-based financial and real estate advisory group BTG to oversee its financial matters including the collapsed developer’s planned Wingerworth housing scheme which is now shrouded in doubt and remains listed by the council as status ‘pending’.
Stephen Katz, Partner at BTG, said: “We are continuing our investigations to establish what, if any, interest Rippon Homes has in this site and the others it was instructed to deliver prior to its liquidation. This will be part of achieving the best outcome for creditors which is our objective as Joint Liquidators.
“We are also working closely with our experienced valuations and asset advisory team who will identify the value of any sites and the best steps forward for them.”
Directors of Rippon Homes Ltd formally appointed Licensed Insolvency Practitioners Mr Katz and David Birne, who are both partners at BTG, as Joint Liquidators, on April 30.
BTG also confirmed that restructuring and asset advisory expert Matthew Hattersley, Director and chartered valuations surveyor at BTG Eddisons, which is part of BTG, has also been engaged to advise what value, if any, there is in development sites in which Rippon Homes had interests.
Mr Hattersley said: “At this early stage, our priority is to fully understand which sites are affected and how they are affected.
“In these circumstances there are significant complexities to valuation and these need to be considered fully before deciding on the best route towards a conclusion.”
Protesters originally opposed Rippon Homes’ housing scheme over concerns about the strain it might pose on schools, medical services and roads and more recently raised concerns about whether the developer would fulfil its financial commitment of S106 contributions towards community infrastructure to cope with so many new residents.
Wingerworth Parish and NE Derbyshire District Cllr Neil Baker and resident Stephen Squires, who are opposed to the scheme, have raised concerns that Rippon Homes may now transfer the planning permission to another applicant with links to the company so the scheme can proceed while insisting any such process should be overseen and agreed to by the liquidators.
It is understood liquidation and the planning process operate separately so any planning permission can continue to stay in place while insolvency practitioners, like BTG, consider various options while identifying and selling off a company’s remaining assets for creditors.
The liquidators could choose to oversee the planning permission for the creditors or the liquidators can transfer the application to a new developer who could buy the land and still implement the planning permission.
If a housing scheme continues, originally agreed S106 financial contributions towards infrastructure – to be paid by any developer taking on a planning permission – will be expected to be paid by any new developer or these could be renegotiated depending on any changing financial conditions.
Mr Squires and Cllr Baker claim that a Land Registry search revealed Rippon Homes owns land at Spindle Drive which includes part of the current proposed housing scheme site and that this should be declared to the liquidators but they claim this does not appear to have been included in the company’s Statement of Affairs.
However, BTG stressed the Joint Liquidators Mr Katz and Mr Birne are continuing to investigate matters to establish what, if any, remaining interest Rippon Homes Ltd has in Wingerworth and other sites.
Cllr Baker claims that a lot of the proposed housing site is also believed to be owned by a company in an organisation called the Artisan Group Ltd and an Artisan company is also listed as a director of Rippon Homes Ltd.
Companies House confirms that Rippon Homes went into liquidation and that Artisan (UK) Plc is listed as an active director and secretary with Rippon Homes with one other active director among 14 resigned directors.
The Harrogate-based Artisan Group Ltd is also separately listed by Companies House as ‘active’ but as a ‘dormant company’ after it was only incorporated in December, 2025, under one director.
Mr Squires and Cllr Baker believe all Rippon Homes’ assets should be declared to the liquidators whom they believe should have sole responsibility for the transfer of any assets or the transfer of the housing scheme’s planning permission to another company.
Cllr Baker has also argued that any council planning permission or S106 agreements cannot be finalised without the liquidators’ involvement and approval which places the future of the housing scheme into doubt.
Both Cllr Baker and Mr Squires continue to be concerned that there may be an attempt to transfer the planning permission and maybe even all or some of the land to an Artisan company or another entity.
NE Derbyshire District Council’s planning officers had originally welcomed the developer’s Wingerworth housing scheme due to plans for 40per cent of the site’s properties to be affordable housing particularly after the council identified a need for affordable homes in Wingerworth during a national housing shortage.
The planning committee originally voted by a majority in September to approve the planning application with S106 financial contributions expected from the developer for community infrastructure, and with conditions including a contaminated land assessment, a construction management plan and that a system be put in to dispose of foul water drainage with measures to protect the public sewage infrastructure.
But a NE Derbyshire District Council spokesperson said that ahead of Rippon Homes going into liquidation the planning application had remained undetermined due to delays in completing the S106 agreement and due to difficulties engaging with the applicant.
The council has stated it is now seeking legal advice to make sure it proceeds appropriately and if there are any changes involving planning obligations and developer contributions the application will need to be referred back to its planning committee before any decision on the housing scheme’s future.
