Homes planned in grounds and outbuildings of ‘iconic’ Matlock Castle

Despite concerns from councillors, some 20 homes are set to be built in the surroundings and outbuildings of the Grade-I listed Riber Castle in Derbyshire.

During a recent Derbyshire Dales District Council meeting, plans by Cross Tower Ventures to build 11 homes in the castle grounds and convert outbuildings and the gatehouse into nine additional homes were approved.

Permission for this project covered 46 homes, with 26 inside the castle and 20 in its surroundings and outbuildings.

Nearly all councillors supported the development, except for Cllr Buttle who opposed it, and Cllr Sue Burfoot, who abstained due to concerns about the plots blocking the castle’s view.

The proposed homes do not include any classified as affordable housing.

They consist of four three-bedroom properties, 12 four-bedroom homes, three five-bedroom properties, and one seven-bedroom house.

The 20 homes in the grounds and outbuildings were considered necessary for the castle’s preservation, as they provided the funding for its restoration. Without this approach, it would have been deemed “unacceptable” under different circumstances.

The renovated buildings will include the stable block, coach house, saddlery, and tower. Initially, there were plans for a helipad in the paddock outside the garden walls, intended for residents and visitors to Matlock. However, this aspect has been removed from the project.

The site layout plan includes an underground car park with a total of 111 parking spaces.

Among the new houses, two will be located in the castle gardens, three in the kitchen gardens, one just outside the kitchen garden wall, two near the main entrance behind an existing lodge, one near Riber Road in the southern part of the site, and one on the northern edge of the site.

The conversion of the castle into 26 apartments is now in its final stages.