Next Duke of Devonshire hits planning snag and heritage concerns - as family move into Chatsworth

Last year, estate representatives submitted a planning application to the Peak District National Park Authority (PDNPA) proposing to remodel parts of the grade I listed house, as it was revealed the 12th Duke and Duchess of Devonshire have retired to a smaller cottage nearby.

Their son William Cavendish, aka Lord Burlington, and wife Laura want to transform rooms around the Stag Parlour – part of the original Elizabethan house in the south-east corner – to create a new modern family space including a showpiece kitchen fit for three young children and entertaining guests.

But the plans sparked concerns at conservation agency Historic England, who told PDNPA: “It will be for your authority to weigh the low level of less than substantial harm presented by the somewhat incongruous introduction of kitchen features into the regularity of the main Stag Parlour, against the public benefits of supporting the ongoing domestic occupation of the house.

“We note the reasonable desire for modern modes of living and the particular practical benefits of day to proprietor presence within this great house but consider these could still be met with a slightly different solution.”

While the estate is said to have engaged positively with authorities, months later there has been no movement, no timeline set for a resolution and nor is it clear who will decide the case.

A PDNPA spokesperson said: “We’ll shortly be back in contact with the applicant to clarify a few aspects of the proposal, which is why there’s no committee date or confirmation regarding officer delegation of the application as yet.”

Planning documents describe how the rooms have been reconfigured, refurbished and repurposed many times throughout Chatsworth’s history, but architectural features dating back to the mid-16th century may prove incompatible with more contemporary designs.

Making the case for their vision, architects state: “Family life in a great house is now very different from how it was in the past. No longer are children confined to nurseries, but a family room which allows parents to cook for, and eat with, their children and friends is an essential ingredient for a vibrant home.”

Noting alternatives have been explored already, the documents add: “The visitor route hinders easy access and results in family circulation through areas that contain exceptional decorations and contents which cannot accommodate the disruption and hurly burly of the life of a young family, or the unloading of groceries following a visit to the supermarket.

“It is also important that the family rooms should recover the high status that they originally possessed. As proposed, the Stag Parlour with its spectacular views across the Parterre to the Emperor Fountain will act well both as a family base, that is not relegated behind the scenes, and the focus of a great estate.”

When contacted by the Derbyshire Times, a Chatsworth spokesperson said: “We continue to work closely with our partners at the Peak District National Park Authority to achieve a practical solution that allows Chatsworth to continue as a family home, while continuing to fulfil its important role as a charity and much-loved heritage and cultural centre.”

For full details, search for NP/DDD/0723/0756 at portal.peakdistrict.gov.uk.

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