| Administrative History | In 1935 a Peak Joint Planning Committee was established to consider matters of planning affecting the Peak area. The Committee was made up of representatives from Derbyshire County Council, the urban districts of Ashbourne, Matlock, and New Mills (Bakewell declined to join), and the rural districts of Ashbourne, Bakewell and Chapel en le Frith. Its work was financed by a local authority rate.
The Peak District, together with the Lake District, Snowdonia and Dartmoor, was suggested as a national park by the National Parks Committee (Hobhouse Committee) in its Report of 1947. Consequently the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act, 1949 designated the Peak District as one of the first National Parks, though its initial boundary was not fixed until April 1951 following a public inquiry.
The Act of 1949 established the Peak Park Planning Board, as the administrative authority. It was also designated the local planning authority by the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947 and consequently it took over the work of the Peak Joint Planning Committee.
From April 1997 the Peak Park Planning Board was designated a National Park Authority by the Environment Act of 1995. |
| Custodial History | Acquired by Derbyshire Record Office in 1997. A transfer was received from the Local Studies section of the Record Office in April 2017 consisting of planning committee minutes 2009-2011. |