£300m Peak Resort project given planning permission
by Caroline Wilkinson | 01 Jul 2008
The proposed Peak Resort development in Unstone, Derbyshire, has finally been given the go-ahead by Chesterfield Borough Council after 19 years in the planning.
The project, estimated to cost around £300m to complete, is headed by Birchall Properties and is to be located within 121-hectares (300-acres) of green belt land adjacent to the River Drone.
The development’s centerpiece will be a 312-metre domed structure, housing a 26-room hotel with spa facility, a 50-unit apartment/hotel condominium, restaurants, bars, a sports injury clinic and life-long education centre.
Outdoor facilities will include bridleways and footpaths through the 40-hectares of woodland as well as activities such as bowls, riding, tennis and an upgraded 18-hole golf course. A further 250 holiday lodges will be set within the woodland, alongside the course.
Councilor Ray Russell of Chesterfield Borough Council says: “This will be one of the best attractions of its type in Britain and will put Unstone firmly on the map as a tourist destination.”
The golf course is expected to be remodeled to meet the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) standard and will also include a new six-hole practice course and driving range.
It is not yet determined whether PGA will brand the course, but the association is in talks with Birchall Properties about establishing the site as the UK’s third PGA academy – to accompany St Andrews in Scotland and The Belfry in the West Midlands.
The proposed Peak Resort development in Unstone, Derbyshire, has finally been given the go-ahead by Chesterfield Borough Council after 19 years in the planning. The project, estimated to cost around £300m to complete, is headed by Birchall Properties and is to be located within 121-hectares (300-acres) of green belt land adjacent to the River Drone. The development’s centerpiece will be a 312-metre domed structure, housing a 26-room hotel with spa
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