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Farley Moor

DARLEY DALE TOWN COUNCIL OBJECTS TO FARLEY MOOR HOLIDAY CABIN PROPOSAL

Forest Holidays, in partnership with Forestry England, has applied to build 75 luxury holiday cabins with hot tubs, a car park for 249 vehicles, a shop, café, roads and other facilities across approximately 140 acres of Farley Moor woodland near Matlock – a cherished public green space enjoyed by local residents for walking, wildlife watching and quiet recreation.

Darley Dale Town Council strongly objects to this proposal on multiple grounds, including serious concerns about damage to irreplaceable peatland and wildlife habitats, road safety on narrow unlit lanes, increased flood risk to Matlock town centre, and the unnecessary duplication of holiday accommodation already well provided by nearby Darwin Forest.

 

WHY WE OBJECT

Darley Dale Town Council’s Planning Committee has examined this application carefully and believes it conflicts with both local and national planning policies. Our detailed policy breaches document is available here. Our key concerns are:

  • Wildlife and habitat damage – the site contains fragile peatland, wetlands and rare species. Felling over 1,300 trees and draining the land for construction would cause irreversible ecological harm that cannot genuinely be offset by the applicant’s Biodiversity Net Gain claims. Each cabin has a hot tub which will drain to the forest floor.
  • Road safety – Farley Lane is narrow, unlit, has no pavements and is subject to flooding and ice. Hundreds of additional vehicle movements daily from up to 65,000 visitors per year would create unacceptable dangers for pedestrians, cyclists, horse riders and existing residents.
  • Flood risk – Farley Moor drains steeply into Bentley Brook and then into the River Derwent in Matlock town centre, which already suffers from an overloaded sewer network. New hard surfaces and drainage from the development risk making flooding in Matlock significantly worse.
  • No demonstrated need – Darwin Forest Country Park, just one mile away, already offers 137 comparable luxury lodges. There is no proven need for another large holiday park so close, and the proposal risks harming an established local business that employs over 200 people.
  • Heritage – BBC’s Time Team recently confirmed the presence of a 3,700-year-old Bronze Age ceremonial site including a standing stone within Farley Wood. The development risks damaging this irreplaceable piece of our local history.
  • Loss of public access – Farley Moor is a public woodland managed for everyone’s benefit. This commercial development would restrict access and prioritise private profit over the open green space local people rely on.

 

HOW CAN YOU HELP – MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD 

The planning committee meeting is due (but still tbc) to be held on:

Tuesday 30 June 2026, 6pm Derbyshire Dales District Council, Town Hall, Bank Road, Matlock

The meeting is open to the public to attend.

Please submit your own objection directly to Derbyshire Dales District Council. Written objections carry significant weight and become part of the permanent planning record. You do not need to be a planning expert – your experience as a local resident and user of Farley Moor is exactly what the committee needs to hear.

To submit your objection:

Please submit your objection as soon as possible and by no later than Wednesday 24th June 2026.

When writing, you might mention things such as your use of Farley Moor, concerns about traffic on Farley Lane, the impact on local wildlife, or flood risk to Matlock. Every objection submitted in your own words counts.

You can also support the Save Farley Moor campaign, which has already gathered over 5,000 petition signatures.

 

FURTHER INFORMATION

For more information about Darley Dale Town Council’s position on this application, please contact Councillor Dave Chapman

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