Plans to build a retail park in Workington have been refused after concerns about the development’s impact on the environment and wildlife.
Allerdale council’s development panel met on Monday and refused permission to build a 25,295sq ft mixed use retail development on land west of the Derwent Howe retail park.
Councillors deferred making a decision on the plans when they were originally considered in March.
Members of the panel sympathised with environmentally minded residents who were concerned about the impact the development would have on the Small Blue butterfly.
The site is derelict land formerly accommodating a railway line, the surface is ideal for kidney vetch – the food of the rare species so the land has become a green corridor, vital to the species’ survival.
Plans were brought back to the planning panel this week after further surveys were carried out.
The case officer said: “One of the mitigation measures that has been volunteered to try and address that was the provision of a substitute corridor.
“Furthermore, to that there is a series of islands to be retained as close as possible to the root of the railway line to provide a hopping station for the butterflies.”
Speaking against the plans for the second time, butterfly expert Steve Doyle said: “In March, this committee requested an up-to-date Small Blue butterfly survey, that was done but it has focussed mainly on the kidney vetch plant count. There’s no mention of the butterflies themselves or any other species of wildlife.
“I’ve said before in this meeting and in correspondence, we are concerned here with a wildlife connectivity corridor, not specific plants or areas of plants.
“It’s not just for Small Blue butterflies though on June 2, which was the height of the flight season, I personally counted 93 small blue butterflies on the full section of the corridor.
“That count is equal to the best count we have had in 2022 in any of our other sites in Allerdale including core breeding sites.
“We need to respect diversity and that’s now being respected worldwide not just in Workington. This wildlife corridor is part of Workington’s heritage, it’s been used by wildlife for many decades as part of our heritage in Workington.”
The proposal was recommended for approval.
Councillor Anthony McGuckin proposed that the application is refused due to the collective concern that “if we start to develop these sites, we are in danger of damaging our environmental species.”
The motion, seconded by Cllr Danny Horsley and approved unanimously.
