CITY OF DERBY LOCAL PLAN

In the City of Derby Local Plan, adopted 3 April 1998, in the City Council Strategy for Parks, there is a section of the text which represents an eminently sensible attitude in policy towards our precious and threatened public open spaces. With reference to these and especially Elvaston Castle Country Park it states;

“City parks are intended to serve a large catchment . . .Elvaston castle Country Park, just outside the city boundary to the south-east, effectively functions as a City park. ... Consequently this is a feature of City-wide importance and should be protected as such.’’

However, in the City of Derby Local Plan Review, Adopted January 2006, Section E22, on Historic Parks and Gardens, the wording states that development which is harmful to historic parks and gardens 'within or close to the City,' neither Elvaston Castle (or anywhere else), is mentioned by name;  

The present leader of Derby City Council, Chris Williamson, has stated that he supports Derbyshire County Council's 'aspirations' for Elvaston Castle Country Park and its handling of the situation. Although the disposal of Elvaston Castle, either by lease or freehold, has been completely rejected by tens of thousands of people, local politicians refuse to take any notice and do little or nothing to change the situation -  the most that happens is that emails proclaiming concern are exchanged when an MP or councillor is approached by a constituent and that is the end of the matter; City Councillors state that this is all that they are able to do because it is purely 'a County Council matter'.

The Friends of Elvaston beg to differ. We will continue to campaign against the loss of one blade of grass at Elvaston Castle. The shameful situation whereby local politicians of all denominations continue turning their backs on the protection of a such a priceless national asset can no longer be ignored by the electorate. Elvaston Castle Country Park belongs to the community. It is the duty of those elected to administer the affairs of that community to do everything it can to safeguard its assets, especially when they are of such vital importance to the culture, health and well being of the people who use its facilities, whether that is once every ten years, once every year, or every day.

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