DERBY Mountain Rescue's plan to build new £1 million headquarters near Mackworth village are set for approval tonight.
If the go-ahead is given at the Amber Valley Borough Council planning meeting, the team will have to raise between £500,000 and £1 million to complete its plan.
The team's project has been met with some objections from local residents as well as Mackworth Parish Council but have been recommended for approval by the borough council's officers.
Mountain rescue team leader Steve Hilditch said the group had been searching for a site for purpose-built headquarters for 10 years.
He said: "The team celebrates its 50th anniversary next year – that's 50 years of volunteers saving lives. It represents tens of thousands of hours of service by people giving their time.
"The need to have dedicated headquarters was identified 10 years ago and in that time the focus has been on rescuing people, which is why it's taken this long to find suitable land."
The barn-style building, if approved, will be built on Ashbourne Road next to the Imperial Commercial building.
The site has been secured at a discounted rate through a conditional purchase by the charity for £75,000 from Mackworth Estates Trust.
The greenfield area will be developed to serve as a base for the Mountain Rescue Team and as a training base for other mountain rescue groups.
Mr Hilditch said: "We're very grateful for the discount and this points to the fact this is not a commercial undertaking.
"As a charity we can't compete in a commercial market, but throughout the project we have been guided by professionals in planning and architecture."
Mackworth Parish Council has raised objections to the development plans despite saying it supports the work of the Mountain Rescue Team.
Councillor Graham Bell said he was fully supportive of the mountain rescue team's work but added: "We must remember that this is a planning application to build on previously undeveloped greenfield land.
"Other interested bodies have highlighted some serious questions about this particular location and the design itself.
"The building is 11 metres from the road with its rear turned towards the conservation village, a settlement which is highly protected, with 75% of it scheduled as an ancient monument."
Local residents also sent in 10 letters of objection to the plans during the first consultation phase of development.
Some objections included the site being adjacent to a scheduled ancient monument – the Mackworth conservation area – and the site being within the setting of Kedleston Hall's historic park. The plans will be considered by the committee at Ripley Town Hall from 7pm.
