Local Development Framework Consultation

Kendal

1 (4 of 6) Kendal South West

R103M

Oppose

Support

R103M (R675K, R103, M39)

Protection of individual character and setting
In the Strategic Overview – Core Strategy, p3, it says: “the quality environment will be protected and enhanced, including designating Green Gaps (as required) to prevent coalescence of the individual settlements and thereby protect their individual character and setting.

This raised 2 issues for me:

1) If the whole of R103M is developed then this will create the largest area in Kendal without any green spaces, eg for children to play on. With Kendal being so closely linked with the Lake District National park and surrounded by such beautiful surroundings, it would surely detract from the attraction of Kendal to potential residents to not have green spaces and views from the properties within it.

2) The current settlement at Stainbank Green was developed from a farm and the character and setting is still consistent with a countryside property. Although it is close to existing built up areas of Kendal, the raised position allows it to maintain it’s character of a country farm. When the development of this farm was done in 1972, the surrounding fields were allocated to be owned by the property owners to protect this environment.
If the development was to go ahead in area R675K this would completely destroy the individual character and setting of the settlement which goes against your strategy above. The northern most part of R103 would also cause some loss of setting however this would be significantly less than R675K.

Access

Car Access
For R675K and the northern most part of R103, the access to these sites appears very limited.
Access to M39 is easy from Brigsteer Road and the small area of road which was the old Brigsteer Road before the diversion due to the bypass.
After this short section however, the road becomes private and hence no access would be possible. This private road is also an established right of way for walkers making their way safely to Scout Scar (one of Kendal’s significant attractions). I do not believe that access through M39 would be possible as between the 2 is a right of way surrounded by mature trees with no room for a road to pass between them.
Therefore the only access to R675K and R103 would be through the entire area of R103 and also along Underwood and Stainbank Road which is already a main thoroughfare for sensibly avoiding the one way system during peak times.

Pedestrian Access
Although this would appear to be easier, there is a lack of safe access on Brigsteer Road, just west of Underwood. This part of Brigsteer Road is not wide enough for a pavement to be created and hence does not provide safe pedestrian access into town. Due to the placement of existing properties, this would leave the only safe access route into town to be through the entire area of R103 and back along Stainbank Rd and Underwood (a significant detour!).

Key Characteristics of Kendal
In the fact file on page 4, it says:

“Views out the east where the National Park begins can be seen over Kendal from the west coast mainline”

At present, very little of Kendal is actually visible from the west coast mainline, maintaining the characteristics of Kendal as a gateway to the Lake District. However, site R103M is in full view of the mainline in the exact direction that you extol in the comment above as being an asset of Kendal. Development of this site should consider the tourist impact of the main view of the Lake District hills being superimposed by a large housing development.

Thank you for considering these concerns.

No