Local Development Framework Consultation

High Carley

47 High Carley / Pennington & Rowe Head

RN6 & RN6M

We wish to oppose the allocation of the above site as housing land

Oppose

Support

Support

As the recent ex-Chairman of the Birkrigg Park Residents Association, I am able to say that since I stepped down due to pressure of work, a new Chair has not been found and the Association is currently struggling (its Secretary has recently had a baby too). It has not been possible to co-ordinate a response to this from the Association. I have done my best to encourage all residents to respond. Reasons for objection are below:-
For 75 years, the land in question was publicly owned open space used for recreation (cricket and other sports). It should revert back to this use as there are no other publicly owned recreational sites within walking distance (69% of people walk to their local public open space).
• Both the Birkrigg Park Residents Association and Pennington Parish Council support the use of the land as being for public recreation and amenity; the BPRA has expressed the desire for community developments such as a ball games area, children’s shelter and community orchard.
• Although the proposed housing could be seen as “rounding off” of existing development, in landscape terms, this development would be obtrusive, and would in fact end up being quite prominent in the landscape; the tree cover will not screen any new dwellings in the same way as the existing development.
• Residents adjacent to the area will be subject to negative changes to their view, reductions in privacy and a reduction in the amount of light.
• Highways access is inadequate and over land owned by SLDC.
• Sewerage system will not cope with further dwellings.
• Despite what the supporting documentation states, local services are not good; shops, post office etc are a good walk away down dangerous lanes with speeding vehicles; there is now no bus service; there is no children’s play area; existing open space is not appropriate for ball games. Local lanes were not built to take the volume of traffic that they currently do, and are already in desperate need of repair and suffer from frequent flooding; access onto the main A590 from local lanes is already congested and dangerous; there is no pedestrian access to the bus stop on the A590.
• The site is a haven for locally important biodiversity; there are no other areas of rough grassland in the area; there are almost 50 species of flowering plant. Wildlife includes spotted flycatcher, willow warbler, chiff chaff, greater spotted woodpecker, goldfinch, collared dove, and occasional tawny owls. 4 of these species have suffered drastic national decline. There are over 200 moth species present – species names can be provided. Trees on the site are likely to host bat species, all of which are European Protected Species.

Local services are not good. There some local shops and a post office but they are a good walk away down dangerous lanes with speeding vehicles;even walking to the local school, nursery and after school club is dangerous. There is now no bus service. There is no children’s play area; existing open space is not appropriate for ball games, as balls cause extreme annoyance by hitting house windows, garden plants and vehicles. Local lanes were not built to take the volume of traffic that they currently do, they are already in desperate need of repair and suffer from frequent flooding; access onto the main A590 from local lanes is already congested and dangerous; there is no pedestrian access to the bus stop on the A590.
As recent ex-Chairman of the Residents Association, I can say that the Association is keen on the land in question being used for coimmunity use - this could include ball games, community events, allotments, a community orchard and wild-flower meadow.