Anzio Army Training Camp

The Anzio Camp is situated near Leek in Staffordshire.
The camp was first used by the US Army in 1943, to house troops.

In 1945/6 the camp was taken over by Polish troops.
After the war it was used as a civilian settlement by the Poles until 1963/4 when they were moved to a purpose built site half a mile north of the camp
I cannot find much information on what the camp was used for between 1963 and the early 80's.
In 1980 the MOD took over the site and it was used as a training camp for Regular and Territorial army troops and also scouts and cadets.
The camp closed in 2004 as it was deemed surplus to requirements by the MOD

It was bought in 2006 by care operator John Munroe Hospital, of Rudyard, with a view to developing a care home.
But the site was again sold, in July 2007, to a consortium of Courtyard Property Group and Smartwright Developments.
Planning officers recommended that the planning application is refused on the grounds that the site lies within open countryside on the fringe of the Peak District National Park, which is designated as a Special Landscape Area.
The planning officer's report adds that in such a location, residential development is only permitted in certain circumstances which are not present in the application.

Quote: "The development would constitute an inappropriate form of development in the rural location."

Apparently it is better to have a load of buildings falling into disrepair...

As of Nov 2008 the developers were re-jigging the scheme to try and gain planning consent.

In the last couple of years the buildings have been heavily vandalised, almost every door and window is smashed, metal and slates have been removed from the site and the buildings are starting to show signed of structural degradation.
Something needs to be done soon with this site or it will soon be just another pile of rubble.

Visited on 29-03-09