The National Stone Centre has the potential to provide a fantastic visitor destination. However, this requires investment. The Institute of Quarrying is in a position to provide professional support to enable the long-term development of the NSC.

The site also offers huge scope for additional membership value. The facilities available at the NSC provide new opportunities for us to expand our services for members and the quarrying and mineral products industry.

To protect the ethos and operation of the NSC, we are entering into a binding deed to undertake the object of the NSC as per its current scope in its Articles of Association. The IQ undertakes to uphold this deed for 25 years. The deed will protect the NSC identity. It will prevent the sale of the land by the IQ unless it is to further the object of the NSC. It will ensure the site is available for public access and managed to the appropriate standards.

The NSC is dependent on the passionate volunteers that operate and maintain the site and we want their invaluable support and dedication to continue. Indeed, this is an opportunity for volunteers to actively contribute to the long-term future of the NSC, with the potential for new jobs.

As a membership organisation, the Institute of Quarrying is focussed on supporting and developing professionals in the industry. Relocating our offices to the NSC means we will be able to visibly demonstrate the compelling story of the industry; how it has evolved through its history to the high standards it operates to today and the valuable contribution it makes to local communities and the environment.

The site will become a centre of excellence and a place of learning for our members, the wider quarrying and minerals products industry as well as students from schools, colleges and universities. In addition, by seeking to make a significant contribution to the Derbyshire visitor economy, we will engage and inspire future generations to join an exciting sector to help tackle significant challenges such as digitisation, circular economy, zero carbon and diversity.

This is a coming together of the Institute of Quarrying and the National Stone Centre to create an internationally significant centre of excellence for stone and quarrying. The deal is focused on the impact and social value of bringing together the two organisations to inspire the next generation of stone industry professionals, to establish a knowledge centre of excellence and to engage the public, schools and colleges in the science and history of the sector.

Babenko Associates on Porter Lane in Wirksworth won a three-way pitch to representatives of the IQ and NSC trustees. The company has a multi-skilled team of professionals who have worked in the construction industry for over 30 years.

During the consultation phase we have been talking to specialist contractors and materials providers to determine a budget for the build. Currently this is estimated to be £6.5 million.

We are in early negotiations with a number of key stakeholders and potential project partners to explore opportunities for joint funding of the project. In addition, the IQ has reserves on which it can draw to co-fund the development.

Subject to planning permission, we are planning on starting the work in Autumn 2023. It is likely to take 18 months to build.

We intend a Zero Carbon building project. We are utilising the latest building materials that are not only manufactured in an environmentally sensitive way but also help the building to be energy efficient.

Currently we are also planning to invest in solar panels to help reduce our energy costs and we are also installing electric vehicle car and bike charging points. The hot water will be provided by a ground source heat pump. The building will be largely ‘passive’ will the minimum of equipment needed to handle the internal air. The whole building will have a digital management system and low voltage lighting which itself will provide an educational experience.

No. We believe that the view from the High Peak trail will be enhanced as the new building’s roof line will be lower than that of the existing building. The whole design is based around being harmonious with the local landscape. The roof is to be planted making a biodiversity contribution. It will also have solar panels providing electrical power to the centre.

The merger of the National Stone Centre with the Institute of Quarrying has created new opportunities to bring more people and more revenue to the local area. To realise those opportunities, we need additional space.

However, we do not intend to simply discard the current building. We believe in recycling and will be carefully dismantle the building to salvage the building materials in order to repurpose this for additional buildings at a later date. The exhibition space in the existing building is inadequate as are the educational facilities. To make a meaningful economic contribution and a quality destination, an asset fit-for-purpose is required.

Since the establishment of the NSC in 1989 it has always been the intention to have a campus style development where it can cater properly for public and professional education around stone and minerals. This project is the first step. In future more assets are likely to be developed but never housing or unrelated activities to the site’s geological context.

Any development has to take into account the site’s status as a geological SSSI and local conservation space. We are passionate about people enjoying the outdoors and the site will always be predominantly wild.

No. One of the key considerations in the concept design of the new building was to make sure that the current building could remain in situ and open to the public whilst it is being built. We are aiming to keep disruption to regular users of the café to a minimum during the construction phase. We are also keen to keep people up-to-date with the construction and provide opportunities for the work to be seen as it progresses.

Yes. The location of the children’s playground will remain viewable from the café but will move slightly to suit the layout of the new building.

The new building is a community asset, a professional development centre, a heritage education space and a visitor destination. We are confident that our existing land can cope with the rise in visitor numbers. We hope to attract 100 people per day to the museum as well as 300 school children per week.

No. The grounds of the National Stone Centre are open access for all to enjoy and we plan to continue to keep it that way. The café will also remain open to all to enjoy. The new museum will have an admission fee.