Statement on an enforcement notice against works at Thornbridge Hall & Gardens undertaken without planning permission
This is an archived press release
Monday 5 July 2021
The Peak District National Park Authority is aware of social media posts of 2 July 2021 by Thornbridge Hall & Gardens described as 'Please help us to save Thornbridge from the Peak Park bulldozers'.
The enforcement case concerns the erection of a substantial wooden building (currently in use as a café) and construction of a tarmac-surfaced car park and associated driveway.
These matters do not relate to Thornbridge Hall itself, which is unaffected by this enforcement notice.
The wider estate includes a number of designated heritage assets, notably several listed buildings and registered gardens and parkland, and the area affected by the works is in close proximity to the Monsal Trail and a public footpath. The property is also within a Conservation Area. As a result this is considered to be a particularly sensitive location.
The above works have taken place without the necessary planning permission being sought or granted prior to construction, and are considered to cause significant harm to the heritage assets referred to above. As a result of which, the Peak District National Park Authority as the local planning authority have now served an enforcement notice.
Continued dialogue with the landowner since March 2021 - when the Authority was informed of the works - has included clarification that the works required planning permission and that continuing construction would be at the landowner's own risk.
The Authority's planning service has continued to remain operational since Covid-19 restrictions on workplaces were imposed in March 2020, but as a result of national restrictions response times were significantly delayed. This was stated on the Authority’s website. Our contact centre has also remained operational throughout this period.
The enforcement notice specifies a six-month period for the landowner to remove the unauthorised works and restore the site to its former condition.
There is a right of appeal against an enforcement notice. If an appeal is made the enforcement notice would be suspended until a decision was made. Any appeal would be determined by an independent inspector appointed by the Secretary of State.