Green light for £138m Matlock County Hall reboot
The redevelopment of Derbyshire Council’s historic main offices as a hotel and residential complex has taken a step forward, after five separate planning applications were approved by councillors.
The scheme for the authority’s mothballed 14-acre “Smedley’s Hydro” headquarters in Matlock will see 45 apartments built in the North Block of the grade two-listed building, while the main County Hall building will be converted into a 100-room hotel.
The historic Winter Gardens will also be restored as part of the process, with replacement headquarters for the local authority also constructed elsewhere on the site alongside 50 new-build homes.
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Five applications for various aspects of the scheme were approved by Derbyshire Dales District Council’s planning committee on 8 September, despite ongoing concerns over the overall viability of the project.
A report completed by consultants Keppie Massie concluded that the development was currently “unviable”, with a residual land value of -£13.2m. However that figure was down on an earlier estimate, which put the viability gap at around £29m, with Keppie Massey concluding that the gap could be reduced further should the new build residential buildings achieve higher values.
Applicant Derbyshire County Council said it would be seeking financial support from “a variety of means” to make the numbers stack up for the development, including National Lottery Heritage Funding, East Midlands Combined County Authority and the council’s own capital programme.
Last month, the council said it had completed drawing up a shortlist of preferred developers for the project, with a final decision on the expected to be announced early 2027.
Speaking after the decision Derbyshire county council leader, Cllr Alan Graves, said planning approval for the scheme was the first step in turning the local authority’s vision for the site into a reality.
“This is an important milestone in our work to secure a sustainable and positive future for this historic building,” he said.
“Smedley’s Hydro has been part of Derbyshire County Council’s story for decades, and we’re committed to ensuring it continues to play a meaningful role in the life of Matlock and the county.
“This decision allows us to move forward with confidence. We want to see Smedley’s Hydro preserved and reused in a way that benefits local people, supports the economy and honours its heritage.”
HLM Architects is a key advisor on the project, having been appointed in 2022 to advise on the conservation and re-use of the listed but now underused civic complex.
Montagu Evans is advising on planning.
Documents and plans relating to the proposals can be found on Derbyshire Dales’ planning portal under references: 25/00271/OUT, 25/00272/FUL, 25/00273/LBALT, 25/00274/FUL, and 25/00275/LBALT.
