Derelict Derbyshire quarry may come back to life with hundreds of homes after 70 years vacant

Work to build hundreds of homes aimed at bringing a long-derelict quarry back to life could restart after three years in limbo.

Fountain Park Ltd has filed plans with Derbyshire Dales District Council to build 203 homes in Cawdor Quarry, off Snitterton Road overlooking Matlock.

This comes more than three years after work at Cawdor to build more than 400 homes came to an abrupt stop when local builder Wildgoose Construction collapsed into administration.

The approval of more than 400 homes in 2018 followed a 20-year effort to start regeneration of the quarry and an end to nearly 70 years of it being vacant.

Initial approval of the plans had been won by Groveholt Ltd, but now Fountain Park Ltd is taking the helm, with both companies among the 16 run by developer Charles Rifkind, known for his ownership of a segment of land at Lord’s, “the home of cricket”, in London.

A report filed on behalf of the developer details that the new scheme falls within the same space as the previously approved project, but with increased density of homes.

It also says the developer believes, via a KC legal opinion, that the previous approval is still live – it has not lapsed – but that the council, which also paid for a KC legal opinion, disagrees.

A decision will be made by the council in the next few months.

The first two phases of the five-phase project were completed, which are Gateway Spa and Crescent Spa, with Esplanade Spa, Village Spa and Spa Crescent to follow.

This new application is for Crescent Spa and would include 144 apartments and 59 houses, with a combined total of 289 car parking spaces – 24 of which would be for visitors.

Of the homes six would be one-bed apartments, 120 would be two-bed apartments, 18 would be three-bed apartments, 44 would be three-bed houses and 15 would be four-bed houses. 

These would be arranged in a number of four-storey blocks with separate courtyards and parking areas for each series of apartments, along with “chitties” for pedestrians to navigate the site. The houses would be two and three storeys.

It is hoped the higher apartments will make the most of views of the quarry lagoon and cliffs.

None of the homes would be classed as affordable housing, with the original scheme also not including any affordable housing due to the cost of developing the complex brownfield site – which had been set to generate £29 million in profit.

A key difference in this phase from the previously approved plans is the planned small shop to serve residents of the new estate – which has now been dropped.

This next 11-acre section of development, if approved, would extend into the centre of the former quarry, from east to west and overlook the small lagoon.

A small initial section on Crescent Spa had been constructed before work stopped in November 2021.

The developer aims to continue the same themes of development including keeping cars out of sight, with undercroft parking, front doors opening onto pavements, varying styles between phases and having a large number of house types.

It details: “The flowing contours of the upper plateau of the old quarry have inspired the development of gentle crescents as seen at other great spa towns such as Lansdown Crescent in Bath and The Crescent in Buxton. 

“The Spa Crescents follow the contours and take advantage of views out across to Matlock and up the Derwent Valley. 

“At the entrance to Park Crescent road, opposite the townhouses and villas, there are views opening up to the country park which links the Gateway to the Spa Village and floodplain below. 

“The Crescents are framed by pedestrian-friendly ‘closes’ which follow the alignment of the historic natural ‘soughs’.

“Matlock Spa builds on the spa town tradition with health and well-being as a focus of the plan. 

“Pathways and roads are designed to encourage walking and cycling connecting to Matlock town centre – less than ten minutes’ walk away – and to the extensive network of footpaths and cycle ways that are linked to this site. 

“Front doors face out to the park setting, and cars are discreetly hidden in courtyards and under buildings. 

“The houses are designed to make the most of daylight and sunlight, and there are no north-facing gardens. 

“The site has a distinctive and memorable character harmonised by a consistent approach to the use of natural stone and slate with references to the vernacular tradition of Derbyshire Dales.”