Major step forward for visitor attraction that will create 1,000 jobs
A revised planning application for the first phase of a Peak District visitor attraction that could create 1,000 jobs have been submitted to Chesterfield Borough Council.
The £200m plans are for the Gateway at PEAK, which has been consented on 300 acres of land regenerated from opencast mining located on the eastern boundary of the Peak District National Park, outskirts of Chesterfield.
Like a ski resort, PEAK Resort will be built around a carless mobility service, not in this case to mountains and skiing, but into the Peaks for biking and hiking, for nature, heritage, sport and culture. The commercial village will comprise of experiential retail, locally sourced dining and unique spaces for events, artisan craft and learning experiences.
Phase 1 of the development will create around 1,000 jobs across these sectors with a commitment to education and green skills delivered via an onsite skills academy.
The planning consents for PEAK Gateway Resort were implemented and safeguarded in 2016. The founders of Birchall Properties, the landowner, have already invested over 35 years in nature recovery, passive rewilding and preparation for the development on the 300-acre Birchall Estate which had been the subject of extensive open-cast activities.
Stanton Williams was recently appointed to design the Gateway at PEAK. Deals have been signed which include: heads of terms with national retail brands to become anchor tenants for the commercial village element of the Gateway; an agreement with a hotel operator to bring a flagship concept to Gateway and operate the 165-room hotel; heads of terms with vehicle and transport partners to operate the zero-carbon travel hub;
agreements with regional education providers to develop education and learning opportunities at the Gateway; and heads of terms with a leading UK waste management partner to deliver waste management solutions and enable an innovative circular economy with a focus on waste reduction and recycling.
