Response from Mr. Alan Drummond (Individual)
1. Mr. Alan Drummond (Individual) : 10 Jul 2017 11:01:00
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Storth - Quarry Lane
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The following comments relate to consultation requested by SLDC and Lancaster City Council concerning suggestions received in response to the draft DPD dated 2016/17 for Storth and Sandside located within the Arnside and Silverdale AONB.
1 The designation of B79 and B116 as “Key Settlement Landscape” in the draft plan of 2016/17 has been challenged by developers and/or landowners on the grounds that development of the brown field sites B36, B38, B81 (2 parcels), B125, and green field site B117 would not be feasible without development of additional portions of land in B79 and B116.
I strongly object to any proposal which would affect the present state of B79 and B116 which, together with B224 (Storth Playing Field), form a unique area of open land which currently is used for countryside pursuits such as the stabling of horses (B116), the rearing of young bullocks in the summer months (B79) and a community resource (B224).
These activities support the original designation of “key settlement landscape” – there is no other similar landscape within the environs of Storth and Sandside. Opening these areas of land to development would undermine the purpose of AONB status.
2 Without greater detail on the type and scale of development contemplated for B79 and B116 by landowners and developers it is not possible to make any reasoned judgement about the economic viability of developing, on their own, the brown field sites mentioned above. Indeed the nature of the development of the brown field sites is at present unclear. The arguments of developers and landowners, therefore, would carry greater weight if they attempted to propose innovative ways to respond to the opportunity of the brown field sites, before suggesting development within green field sites. This is particularly pertinent since our District Councillor suggests that the predicted housing demand over the next 15 years in Storth & Sandside would be satisfied twice over by suitable development of the brown field sites.
3 I am also concerned by the suggestion of creating emergency vehicle access across the middle of B79, joining the cul-de-sac (suggested as access to the “development platform”) to Yans lane. There are three issues.
First, although the emergency access route is also described as a footpath/cycle way there is no suggestion as to how it can be prevented from becoming effectively a through road.
Secondly, any emergency vehicles turning from the route onto Yans Lane (wherever the junction is placed along the length of Yans Lane) will encounter the same difficulty in manoeuvering towards existing housing as entering Yans Lane from Storth Road as at present. Therefore, improving Quarry Lane from the Ship Inn to Storth Road as a footpath/cycle way with access for car traffic during the occasional high tide (which makes Park Road impassable at the foot of Storth Road) would bring greater benefit to Storth residents and visitors to the AONB at no loss of safety. Of course, due consideration would also have to be given to prevent this section of Quarry Lane becoming a through road.
Thirdly, the route of the cul-de-sac and footpath/cycleway suggests that, if it was allowed to happen, it would be a possible argument in favour of opening up the remaining green field portion of B79 to further development. I would not like this suggestion to prove to be a Trojan Horse.
