A joint venture has been formed to create the 海角视频’s first “national park gateway” on the boundary of Derbyshire’s Peak District.
Specialist developer Milligan has joined forces with landowner Birchall Properties to develop The Gateway at PEAK, on the eastern boundary of the national park.
It will form part of the 300-acre PEAK Resort development, where works for the all-weather, all-year, all-ages Adrenalin World are already underway, with a planned opening of spring next year.
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PEAK Resort also has planning permission for up to 2,000 hotel rooms and 250 lodges, as well as a range of leisure, education and entertainment facilities.
Working with Chesterfield Borough Council, the Peak District National Park Authority and the University of Derby, the new joint venture will look at sustainable ways of transporting visitors around the national park.
The Gateway at PEAK aims to shift visitors from their cars into more sustainable modes of transport and manage access into the national park landscape, reducing pressure on local communities and impacts on wildlife.
It will be located just four miles from Chesterfield as currently 61% of visits are from the ‘east side’ of the park.
Huw Bowen, chief executive at Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “PEAK Resort forms a key part of our growth plan for Chesterfield and we are delighted to support Milligan as they develop their plans to create the Gateway at PEAK.
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“It will be a tourist attraction of national significance, supported by the wider catchment and improved connectivity provided by the advent of HS2.
“It will provide sustainable transport links to attractions and activities within Chesterfield and the National Park.
“We are also keen to ensure that local people benefit from the Gateway at PEAK through skills development and access to jobs, by working with Milligan and future operators helping them utilise local business supply chains wherever practicable.”
During the initial months of the coronavirus crisis and as lockdown restrictions have lifted across the 海角视频, the staycation market has grown.
The park already attracts 13 million tourism visits each year and demand for all national parks is predicted to rise exponentially.
Melanie Taylor, head of retail relations at Milligan, said; “Our vision is to create a sustainable hub for like-minded businesses and a basecamp for the sustainable exploration of the 海角视频’s first national park.
“As post-lockdown demand for outdoor pursuits grows, we must enable and facilitate the sustainable use of natural spaces and protect them for generations to come.
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“A gateway could provide information for visitors to book single or multi-day itineraries, explore the area using more sustainable, less polluting modes of transport and buy or hire outdoor activity equipment to try out new activities.”
Over the next two months, the partnership, led by Milligan, will be undertaking a major marketing and research phase discussing the opportunity with companies both large and small, local and national that might be interested in participating.
Once this phase is completed in September, a detailed building specification will be finalised, and it is intended that construction will start in 2021.