Local Development Framework Consultation

Kendal - Castle Ward

MN22#

Oppose

Map: The map published for the public consultation is wrong as it shows site MN22# having access to Parkside Road over land that is not owned by the proponent. Permission to include this adjoining land for development purposes is unlikely to be given.

Access: As access is not possible onto Parkside Road the only access to the site is on the corner of Parkside Road and Singleton Park Road. The current access would need to be enlarged, which could only be along Singleton Park Road making it impossible to construct a mini roundabout with Parkside Road.

Traffic Dangers: Singleton Park Road (A684) is the main feeder route to junction 37 of the M6. It is a very busy road used by many different vehicles (cars, motorbikes, tractors and articulated lorries) and pedestrians (there is no formal footpath on this road). Vehicles travelling down the hill from the M6 to Kendal are usually travelling fast and there are no natural deceleration points before the Parkside Road junction. Due to the size of the vehicles using the A684 it is considered a mini roundabout would be insufficient and a larger roundabout would be difficult to construct incorporating Parkside Road, the proposed site and the entrance to the Business and Training Centre of The Castle Green Hotel. In addition, there is also a very popular footpath to Spindle Wood and Paddy Lane opposite Parkside Road. Consequently, an escalation in vehicle numbers due to the proposed site will considerably increase the danger of accidents, with possible fatal results, at this already busy junction.

Car Transportation: The proposer states, in support of the previous consultation, that “Car transport to town services would not be essential given the short walk to the frequent Larch Grove bus circular.” It is accepted that people may use the local bus service to go to the town centre but they will need vehicles for other purposes, including taking children to school and going to work. These days most households own 2 cars, therefore, with a proposed development of 100 houses a possible additional 200 vehicles might be wanting to access Singleton Park Road, many also using Parkside Road with it’s already limited traffic flow under the railway bridge, thereby exacerbating the congestion on this busy road. In addition, it is felt that more vehicles would use the “rat run” through Valley Drive to avoid the traffic lights at the junction of Parkside Road and Lound Road.

Flood Risk: This site is subjected to frequent flooding caused by water run off from the A684 and also from springs and cisterns in Birklands that were piped to the old Parkside estate, and are still in existence, as shown on the old estate plans held by Cumbria County Archives.

Stream Contamination: A stream runs through this site and is used as a source of water by livestock further downstream. If contaminated surface water discharges into the stream the water quality will be severely affected and the health of livestock put at risk.

Trees: Various trees on the site are subject to Preservation Orders and if access to the site is enlarged several of these preserved trees will need to be felled.

Bats: Numerous bats are seen, at dusk, in the gardens of neighbouring properties. It is not known where they roost but tree habitats support nearly all species of bats and play a fundamental role in their life cycle. Waterways provide the water that bats’ need in order to re-hydrate and also attract midges and other flying insects that are their food source. It could be that the woodland belt running alongside Singleton Park Road, and the stream running through the site, support a bat colony or they may be roosting in neighbouring woods. Further research would need to be carried out to establish this but any alteration to their natural habitat could be devastating to their survival.

Development Boundary: This site is currently outside the existing development boundary. If permission is granted to develop this site, and the development boundary altered, it would create a precedent for further development along this busy road corridor to the M6. The A684 road is much too dangerous to encourage this. In addition, it is contrary to the 2025 Spatial Vision for South Lakeland which states “Towns and villages have been kept distinct from one another by protecting important green gaps.”

Commissioned Reports:
SLDC commissioned Treweek Environmental Consultants to carry out a screening of their Core Strategy. The company produced it’s report in March 2008 and although primarily concerned with the effect on European Sites within SLDC’s area their findings are applicable to many proposed development sites within Kendal. This is because the River Kent is listed with a European Site Status of Special Area of Conservation. The report, at section 3.1 on page 13, lists various factors that can have a significant effect on European Sites including; waste water, increased traffic levels, increased emissions with the associated atmospheric pollution, noise, vibration and other nuisances. All new developments will produce the significant effects listed in the report and, consequently, have an impact on the biodiversity of the River Kent.

Kendal Town Council commissioned Galpin Landscape Architecture to carry out a Local Level Landscape Character Assessment. Their report was published in March 2011 and it specifically identifies land South of Parkside Road, which they call area K4. This area contains all of site MN22# and it states that the area K4 has a medium to high environmental sensitivity due to the visual amenity value of the woodland and the historic environment of the parkland setting. It also states, unequivocally, that there is NO capacity for development on this site.

These reports have been obtained at some considerable cost, therefore, if their findings and recommendations are ignored it has to be asked what was the purpose of commissioning the reports and the associated expenditure.

Oppose

SLDC's Core Strategy is until 2025 therefore the land allocation timeframe should be for the same period.

Option B - Communities and/or developers bringing forward sites for housing and employment for consideration under relevant Core Strategy policies, through neighbourhood plans and/or other local initiatives

Communities are best placed to understand their own local development needs/requirements. If, as is hoped, the Land Allocation document is incorporated into Core Strategy Polices then Option B must be the preferred option.

Kendal - Castle Ward

RN154# and R100#

Oppose

Access: It is assumed that access to these sites would be from Castle Green Lane and, due to the bend and hill on this road, would have to be between Parkside Road and the main entrance to the Castle Green Hotel, being the straighter stretch of road.

Traffic Dangers: Castle Green Lane and then Singleton Park Road (A684) is the main feeder route to junction 37 of the M6. It is a very busy road used by many different vehicles in particular articulated lorries, which have to use Castle Green Lane to avoid the low bridge on Parkside Road. Vehicles travelling from the M6 to Kendal are usually travelling fast and there are no natural deceleration points before reaching the bend and hill after the hotel. Consequently, any escalation in vehicle numbers due to the proposed site will considerably increase the danger of accidents, with possible fatal results, at a new junction on this already busy road.

Increased Vehicle Movement: The combined size of the 2 sites is about 5.45ha. At the average building density this would allow approximately 150 new houses to be built. These days most households own 2 cars, therefore, a possible additional 300 vehicles might be wanting to access Castle Green Lane, many using Parkside Road with it’s already limited traffic flow under the railway bridge, thereby exacerbating the congestion on this busy road. In addition, it is felt that more vehicles would use the “rat run” through Valley Drive to avoid the traffic lights at the junction of Parkside Road and Lound Road. There would also be increased traffic flow on Sandylands Road, increasing congestion at the junction with Appleby Road, and also on Ann Street, which is extremely difficult to drive along already with cars parked on both sides of the road. Additional vehicles on these 2 roads would result in standing traffic, with a consequential increase in air pollution from exhaust fumes.

Trees: Various trees on the site are subject to a Preservation Order.

Kendal Castle: Kendal Castle on Castle Hill is the first sight of Kendal when driving along the A684. Its importance as part of Kendal’s heritage, its dominant position overlooking the town and its historical interest make it a place well deserving of the major repair work to masonry, landscaping and changes to animal grazing habits that were carried out at the end of the last millennium. It is a tourist attraction as well as a local landmark so it must be hoped that the councillors, and the planning officials, will have some regard to this unique historic monument before deciding to obliterate the view of it with lots of modern houses.

Oppose

SLDC's Core Strategy is until 2025 therefore the land allocation timeframe should be for the same period

Option B - Communities and/or developers bringing forward sites for housing and employment for consideration under relevant Core Strategy policies, through neighbourhood plans and/or other local initiatives

Communities are best placed to understand their own local development needs/requirements. If, as is hoped, the Land Allocation document is incorporated into Core Stategy Policies then Option B must be the preferred option.