Golden Valley Caravan Park

Project

Derbyshire

This 26 Acre woodland started out as an old Tanyard and over time the woodland became neglected and overgrown with self setting trees making the woodland very dark and causing the wildlife to leave their habitats.

Years later, Derbyshire County Council imposed a protection order on the site due to the fact that it was an historic woodland.

In 1997, the site owner succeeded to secure planning consent for a caraven site following an appeal on a previously refused application.

In 2004, Architectural Building Design Services were engaged by the new land owner to prepare suitable drawings and designs to commence the transformation of this dark and derelict protected woodland into a tourism facility for tourists to stay whilst visiting the heart of the Amber Valley (visiting the beautiful Derbyshire Countryside and thriving historic market towns and World Heritage sites).

ABDS had a long list of 30 strict planning conditions to discharge, as well as ensuring the new buildings and facilities complimented the woodland and everything was in-keeping.

The previous land owner had used the woodland for tipping which left the whole woodland in poor condition with many heaps of hazardous waste material, litter and fly tipping scattered around the site.

One of the first jobs was to carefully clear the waste materials without damaging the protected trees and tree root systems as well as working with Derbyshire County Council in thinning the woodland  to allow more natural light as well as nature back into the woodland.

ABDS was involved with the planning and layout of the site including the following:

1. Design and detailing of the reception building including coffee shop / disabled facilities and first floor bar area.
2. Design and detailing of the shower block including male / female showers, food preparation areas, Jacuzzi Room, Laundry Room, Disabled facilities and first floor gymnasium.
3. Design and detailing of the Warden accommodation building
4. Design and detailing of a large woodland store designed to house various items of plant and equipment to maintain 26 Acres of woodland.
5. Layout of the children’s play areas
6. Design and detailing the below ground drainage design (each caravan has its own mains drain connection).
7. Putting together an accurate site layout plan positioning the exact position of each tree and then planning and positioning each caravan parking space around the existing trees so as not to cause damage to the trees and their tree root systems.
8. Site planning to position several log cabin chalet buildings.
9. Allocating tent pitch areas to the site layout.
10. A large ‘’Carp’’ fishing pond and an adjacent smaller wildlife pond was incorporated into the design.

We had to work alongside the Local Planning Authority and Derbyshire County Council who both had very strict standards and policies.

The new buildings had to be designed to blend in with the feel of the woodland and it was felt that a log cabin appearance would work well.

Since the Caravan Park was opened in 2007, many species of wildlife have now re-occupied the woodland including Dragonflies, Frogs, Kingfishers, different species of birds etc.
The site has helped aid the preservation of wildlife so much that it has been awarded the David Bellamy Gold Award for several consecutive years in a row.

In 2007 Architectural Building Design Services, together with the land owner, was awarded first place in a Nationwide competition run by the CLA Rural Buildings Award scheme out of 500 entrants.

More information can be seen at:
www.goldenvalleycaravanpark.co.uk