Construction has started on a new £1 billion regenerative leisure, wellness and entertainment development in the Peak District in England.
The Peak Gateway resort is situated on 283 acres of reclaimed former opencast mining land at the eastern boundary of the Peak District.
Rupert Carr of Birchall Properties, the land owner, said: “From the outset Peak has been a land-first business, over 30 years and millions of pounds has been invested in the revival of the former opencast estate and the obtaining of now implementable planning permissions.
“It’s great to finally be underway and to be involved in a regenerative enterprise capable of activating and sustaining clean growth in the regional visitor economy.”
Regenerative tourism project
Billed as the UK’s first purpose-built national park “resort town”, Peak Gateway will offer world-class facilities and attractions, and will serve as a base from which to access the Peak District National Park.
Similar to a ski resort, Peak Gateway will feature a mobility system to link up the trails and country lanes of the Peak District without the need for a car.
The first phase of the mixed-use Peak Gateway project is scheduled to open to visitors in 2027 or 2028. The initial phase represents around 30 percent of the total development.
Planning approvals totalling 168,000 square metres have been granted, including experiential retail, a wide range of leisure and educational facilities, a wellness clinic with operating theatres, 2,850 car parking spaces, up to 2,000 hotel rooms and 250 holiday lodges.
The development has consent for its own green energy park and utilities. Additionally, around 70 percent of the reclaimed estate will be set aside for continued biodiversity gains.
Matthew Booth, founder of lead contractor the Booth Group, said the project “perfectly complements our specialism of regenerative land solutions bringing challenging landscapes back into beneficial use”.
“We are thrilled to be part of the iconic Peak Gateway development, activating the UK’s growth potential through the regeneration of land for local communities and legacy value.”
When fully implemented, Peak Gateway has the potential to achieve a development value of more than £1 billion and sustain thousands of jobs.
