PARWICH.ORG

The Environment Group (Parwich Village Action Group) supplied the following:

Having argued for more public debate on the Peak District National Park Authority’s Parwich Conservation Area Appraisal we want to make our contribution available, so please click here to read the Environment Group’s comments on the draft consultation paper.

Although we felt the Authority had done a commendable job of describing the buildings and how the village evolved, we raised a number of relatively minor details, argued that the Conservation Area should be extended, pointed out that the Draft misrepresents Parwich village (Pawich is a living working community!) and suggested that further discussion is required on potential improvements not included.

The Draft Appraisal can be seen at the Peak Park Authority’s website, and the consultation period continues up to Friday next week (23rd May 2008). At present there will be feedback to individuals on any points they raised, but no collective response to the community. It is anticipated that the draft will go to the Planning Committee in July, when if accepted it will become part of the Authority’s Planning Policy.

We thought people not interested in the detail of our comments might be interested in the information we gathered on Parwich as a living working community. The draft Appraisal characterised the village as “a dormitory settlement, with residents commuting to employment elsewhere”, where “the only amenity is … the Sycamore Inn” and where “the number of second homes and holiday cottages has dramatically increased”, “there are numerous second homes and holiday cottages”.

We strongly disagree with this. There are some 28 active societies and voluntary groups in the village, in addition to the pub, there is the Legion, the School, Stepping Stones, the Church, the Memorial Hall, the playing fields and pavilions and the new shop at the Sycamore Inn. Although there has been some increase the number of holiday cottages there are fewer than you might think in Parwich village:

Second homes                                                     between 4 and 6
Holiday homes (with secondary lettings)                               4
Holiday lets (independent dwellings)                                     3
Holiday lets (subsidiary parts of other houses)                        7

The second homes are primarily ‘weekenders’ many of whom spend more time in Parwich than any where else, and play a very active role in our community.  We feel the Draft should be looking at how we can maintain the existing balance.

Finally there are well over 80 businesses, employers, consultants and sole traders based in the Parish, and we estimate 50% of the working population have work in Parwich or work based in Parwich, hardly a dormitory! Of those who do commute, well over 10% either work from home some of the time, or have additional secondary work based here. The Authority should be promoting our active and innovative community. Parwich is not typical of the Park as a whole: the Authority’s website states that across the Park 25% are self-employed (in Parwich this rises to over 40%) and 24% work in tourism or catering (in Parwich this falls to well below 10%).

One thing this exercise does indicate is the diversity and energy of our community of which we should feel justifiably proud.