Response from Dr Colin Peacock (Individual)
1. Dr Colin Peacock (Individual) : 22 Dec 2016 18:21:00
Please make your comments in the box below and refer specifically to the number of each site / policy you are commenting on.
I fully support nearly all the policies in the plan. My only caveat is that as touring caravans cause such disruption on the road system extra pitches should not be allowed and, in well-screened positions, existing pitches could be made for permanent use if the design, materials and colours of the caravan/chalet were appropriate to the location.
My other comments are details in Warton:
site W130 would be acceptable on landscape impact but access is problematic (and it is N. of Main St not Market St). There are three imposing dwellings to the south (15, 17, 19 Main St). These must be protected from demolition or severe loss of setting. In particular 17 should be listed. It is a dressed stone grey granite building dating from the 1890s and was built by the Station Master at Carnforth using stone brought in by the railway. Both the quality of the building and its historic value from the heyday of Carnforth as a railway town make its survival imperative. In addition, on no account should access to the site be allowed from the Crag Rd which is narrow and steep and quite unsuitable for any extra traffic pressure.
Site W88 is the other major site suggested in the village. Again its landscape impact would be minor but run-off from the Crag and fields is a problem to the houses on the east side of Sand Lane. Any development must be such that it lowers the run-off in times of heavy rain.
W215 (The school playing field) I welcome as protected green space. But the neighbouring field which was put forward as a possible development site (W90/91, I think) is just as important as it lies between W215 and a well-used public footpath and gives open vistas from the school across the valley to the Bowland Fells. This gives the school and the playing field, which are both used for community events, their rural setting. If this were developed the school would become a suburban one, not a rural one and the rural setting of the village would be severely damaged.
The other important open space is the area between Warton Village and Millhead. Although the policies give this sort of buffer protection, it would be better to strengthen that by designating this area as important open space.
