Ex-Dragon's Den star says her community group refused to sell Peak District land despite campaigners’ fears for beauty spot

Former BBC TV Dragon’s Den star Rachel Elnaugh says she and others formed the Cressbrook Dale Estate Private Members Association in June, 2022, andtheypooled resources to originally acquire 73 acres of farmland at Cressbrook Dale.

However, Cressbrook Dale villagers launched the Save Cressbrook Dale campaign after claiming a crowd-funded group called ‘Phoenix Rose’ – which reportedly includes Ms Elnaugh and others – had become the new owners of the land and had begun trying to establish an eco-settlement with a car park, a teepee and other works.

Following the imposition of a Peak District National Park Stop Notice, Tree Preservation Orders and an enforcement notice requesting any development should stop and that the area be restored, Natural England has now acquired some of the land from ‘Phoenix Rose’ and also made an offer to buy the community group’s remaining plot.

However, Ms Elnaugh said: “Natural England made us an utterly derisory offer for this 53 acres last year, which our community rejected.”

Rachel Elnaugh and her community group originally took on responsibility for a site at Cressbrook Dale which was owned by Stanton Estate and they signed a contract for the land after crowd-funding to raise a first instalment of money.

She added that after campaigners raised concerns it afforded Cressbrook Dale Estate Private Members Association an opportunity to renegotiate a deal with Stanton Estate lifting all outstanding liabilities and charges in return for releasing woodland and Ravensdale field, which Stanton Estate then sold to Natural England, and releasing the paddocks and woodland in Cressbrook village so this could be acquired by the villagers.

However, Ms Elnaugh claims this land within Cressbrook village was put up for auction last month but went unsold.

Ms Elnaugh claims the re-negotiated deal with Stanton Estate has given her community group an extra 20 acres of woodland, including the Ravensdale Spring and entrance track, together with access rights all the way along Ravensdale, which she claims has added significant value to the land the group already owned outright.

She said: “So we were very pleased with this outcome and actually quite grateful to the ‘Save Cressbrook Dale Campaign’ for the role they played in creating this opportunity for us to own the 53 acres now in our possession, outright.”

Ms Elnaugh added: “It’s clear to anyone who visits, or who researches the history, that our land has been in productive use for many hundreds of years.

“Originally by woodsmen, then for mining and quarrying, and most recently as farmland.

“Dry stone walls abound. There is a limestone track which runs all the way through the forest, almost to the Northern border, plus a several hundred year old natural limestone reservoir and a building – which are also clearly marked on a 19th century map.

“The Victorians also built an underground tank for the natural springs at Ravensdale with a cast iron pipe to take the water down to the twelve workers’ cottages which sit below the source of the natural spring.

“Like our ancestors, all the enhancements we have made at Cressbrook Dale have been in harmony with nature and absolutely within our lawful rights as landowners.

“Indeed the land has significantly re-wilded since we took ownership, having previously been intensely grazed by cattle all year round and reduced to a mud bath.

“Our intention was always to hold the land at Cressbrook Dale in perpetuity for the benefit of our children, grandchildren and future generations. To us, Cressbrook Dale is priceless.”

The Derbyshire Times previously reported that the Peak District National Park ordered a planning enforcement notice calling upon ‘Phoenix Rose’ to remove all new additions from a site in Cressbrook Dale by August, 2023, and the PDNP was forced to serve a subsequent notice due to continued residential occupation.

Following a Stop Notice – which is still highlighted on a sign in Cressbrook – and an enforcement notice, campaigners claimed that ‘Phoenix Rose’ announced plans to build a chapel which would have required planning permission which led PDNP to reinstate the land and present the owners with a bill for £5,400.

The Save Cressbrook Dale campaigners argued the integrity and tranquillity of the valley, between Bakewell and Buxton, is being threatened by land owners who seek to alter the landscape in a way that is at odds with its nature and existing protection. They claim if the land is used for camping or food production, for example, its rare eco-system would be destroyed.

They say the eastern and northern sides of the Dale are designated as the Cressbrook Dale National Nature Reserve and they are managed by Natural England, and the campaigners want the nature reserve to also include the western side including the ‘Phoenix Rose’ land.

Save Cressbrook Dale added it has been delighted to learn Natural England has recently acquired land on the west side and that the environmental and conservationist organisation Natural England has also expressed an interest in taking on the remaining ‘Phoenix Rose’ plot with an offer to buy this land.

A campaign spokesperson also stated on the savecressbrookdale.com website: “The Save Cressbrook Dale campaign was launched to ensure that the protections on this treasured Peak District Dale were respected and that it remained accessible to anyone who wished to visit and enjoy its beauty.”