Member Article

Green light given to £12m Riverside Business Park redevelopment

Lichfields, the planning and development consultancy, has been given the go ahead on a £12m redevelopment scheme at Riverside Business Park in the Peak District.

As well as injecting new life into the business park, a 72-bed hotel will be erected creating dozens of jobs in new offices and factory space.

The project will lead to the demolition of existing industrial units and former mill buildings to be replaced with 40,000 sq ft of employment floorspace.

Premier Inn has been named as the hotel’s operator, whilst the development will be bolstered with restaurants and associated leisure, creating over 30 jobs.

Lichfields Planning Director Stephen Morgan-Hyland said: “Lichfields is delighted to have assisted Litton Property Group, the owner of the historic Riverside Business Park in Bakewell, to secure planning permissions following two appeals.

“This will now allow the immediate start of a comprehensive redevelopment programme, creating and safeguarding jobs on the site.”

The 40,000 sq ft of new industrial floorspace was granted planning permission in July 2016 but a pre-commencement condition, requiring construction of a new bridged access from the A6 was removed, following a successful appeal last month.

Planning for the hotel was granted on appeal following refusal by the National Park Authority in December 2016.

Mark Twelves, Managing Director of Bakewell-based Litton Property Group, said: “We are delighted with the outcome of the latest appeal. Now we can enter into meaningful discussions with existing tenants about their future requirements within our redevelopment plans as well as providing new space to attract new businesses. There are a number of businesses waiting to expand or locate here.”

Mr Twelves added: “We hope the PDNPA will now work with us to see the modernisation of the park become reality. Riverside Business Park is a huge asset not just to Bakewell, but to the whole of the Peak District.”

The development will also include improvements to existing site access, parking, landscaping and other associated works.

Mr Morgan-Hyland added: “Lichfields has advised Litton Properties on its Riverside Business Park asset for a number of years. The commercial importance of the site to Bakewell and the wider Peak District cannot be under estimated and we are delighted to have assisted in shaping its 21st century future as a mixed employment, leisure and retail destination”

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