Friends Of Elvaston - Derby City Council leader backs DCC disposal plans for Elvaston Castle

DERBY CITY COUNCIL LEADER BACKS DCC DISPOSAL PLANS FOR ELVASTON CASTLE

The Derby Evening Telegraph has printed positive proof that Derby City Council could end the ridiculous scheme to put golf courses on Elvaston Castle Country Park (ECCP) once and for all. (See here)

The Friends of Elvaston has drawn attention to the fact that the 12.1 acre (4.9 hectares) area on the north of the Local Nature Reserve (LNR), called Greatricks Field, which the developers need for their golf course(s) plans, and which Derbyshire County Council fully supports, is, in fact, within Derby City Boundary.

This means that although the land technically belongs to the Derbyshire County Council (It actually belongs to the people but is administered by the County Council), planning permission will now have to be sought from both Derby City Council for Greatricks Field, and South Derbyshire District Council for the rest of the Park, which the developer wants for golf courses, club houses, practice areas, ancillary and service buildings.

It is claimed that Greatricks Field has not fulfilled what was expected from it in terms of a wetland facility for wading birds but, if true, the reasons for this do not seem to have been investigated. It could be that the lack of funds to invest in the rest of the Estate has impacted upon the LNR and its environs. In any case, this does not mean that the area occupied by Greatrick's Field could not support other habitat(s) which would provide a greater nature conservation value in biodiversity terms than it does now. If this situation were achieved, visitors to the site could derive even greater pleasure from the site than that which they currently enjoy.

Derbyshire County Council and its real estate developer partners, Highgate Sanctuary, are anxious to point out that Greatricks Field;

‘has not developed into a successful wildlife habitat’

Whatever the causes, merits and demerits of this standpoint are, the mitigation argument being put forward is that ‘the Nature Reserve could be extended’, i.e., by the creation of planted fringe areas to the golf course(s) fairways. Whilst this habitat creation might be favourable in areas where there was no previous nature conservation scheme employed, its use in the case of Elvaston Castle would not be for the benefits to wildlife but for the benefits to golfers and the profits of the developers. As the DerbyshireCC and the developers will not get their golf course plans through without this mitigation, they are bound to make the scheme look and sound grand, touching all the right buttons in support of the idea. The Friends believes that more effort should be put into making the area a success in terms of nature conservation as it stands, not by planting schemes allied to the disruption caused by the building of golf courses.

The Leader of Derby City Council, Chris Williamson, is quoted in the newspaper as stating;

“.... The Planning Committee’s decisions were not party political”, and added that, “he did not think that the City Council should stand in the way of the County Council’s plans ....”

He also said;

“.... I think it’s a good scheme, it will preserve the Castle, improve the grounds and in fact make it more accessible for people. It will provide a good leisure facility that will be popular with even more people. The last thing I would want to do is to muddy the waters of the County Council’s scheme ....”

These are predictable comments from Chris Williamson. Last September (2005), following his renewed leadership, The Friends wrote to him asking for the City Council’s backing in support of the community’s efforts to stop the loss of the Estate. Although we outlined our ideas for the Estate’s restoration, Mr Williamson made it quite clear that there was no prospect of the City Council getting involved in the matter. He cited purely financial reasons for not wishing to become involved with issues which; “Fall within the purview of the County Council.”

It would now seem that financial matters are not his only consideration. He has a lot to say in support of the County Council’s disposal. Firstly, It is interesting that he is quoting that the Planning Committee’s decisions were not political, especially as the issue of party affiliation does not seem to have been raised in the article. However, under the circumstances, it has to be said that both the City and the County have had many years of Labour rule. Under these administrations, great historical assets like Allestree Hall, St Helen’s House and Elvaston Castle and Estate have been gravely neglected, along with many other places. In Derby, valuable antique furniture belonging to the people of Derby City, part of the possessions at St Helen’s House, were sneaked off to an auction house at Nottingham, until they had to be returned following the outcry when the public found out about it!

Councillor Williamson thinks that the idea of turning Elvaston Castle into an hotel and golf complex, the loss of access to the general public of the Castle and all the outbuildings plus 175 acres of Parkland, the loss of the Caravan Park, the horse riding facilities, a road built down the South Drive and straight through any Garden restoration, a glass box lift on the East Facade of the Castle, mezzanine floors incorporated into the building, a large amount of new build, dogs on leads, increased parking prices, and what remains of the Park being a possible choice for pedestrians and riders alike of being knocked down by either motor vehicles or golf balls, is a GOOD SCHEME!!

Councillor Williamson says of the scheme;

“It will preserve the Castle”

That it will; It will be fortified against those who aren’t loaded with cash!

“It will improve the grounds”

If Ł10 million of public money in the form of a Heritage Lottery Grant didn’t improve whatever it was spent on we’d wonder why!

It will, “in fact, make it more accessible for people.”

This is a puzzle Councillor Williamson! How will the loss of the Castle and all of its outbuildings, apart from those in which we will be allowed if we spend money, plus the loss of Parkland to golf courses, plus the building of roads where at present there are none, make the Park more accessible for people?

“It will provide a good leisure facility that will be popular with even more people”.

If you like golf it will be a good leisure facility. Approximately 700,000 people a year have been using the Park for many years without golf; 65,000 people signed a public petition against the loss of the Park. How many more people does Councillor Williamson think it needs?

Even with the greatest of imagination, we find it hard to believe that the first line of Councillor Chris Williamson’s quote can be isolated from the rest of what he says.

“.... The Planning Committee’s decisions were not party political ....”

Perhaps, come election time, those tens of thousands of people of all political persuasions who have signed petitions, voted against the proposals and even lobbied local councillors and MPs, and yet still find themselves ignored by the likes of Councillor Williamson, will remember what his stance on Elvaston Castle has been.

Finally, from what Councillor Williamson has stated in the press, he believes that the scheme touted by the County Council will preserve the Castle, improve the grounds, be more accessible for people, and provide a good leisure facility that will be popular with even more people. If such changes are possible, given the will to bring them about, why was he so dismissive of the Friends suggestions for restoring the Estate when we approached him in September? We contacted him via email on September 28th, and he rejected our ideas totally, in a brief reply, the following day. Our views in the matter are the views of the community and our membership. The general public will not carry on being ignored in the matter. Those politicians who ignore this will be remembered by those people at election time.

* The name Greatricks Field does not derive from an owner’s name. It is a colloquial description for the quality of the hay it produced when it was part of Home Farm.



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