The RSPB said plans for a new leisure retreat in South Cumbria had the potential to cause a long-term detrimental effect on the area.
Queensland Country Park Ltd to build the sustainable leisure retreat on land off Hawthwaite Lane in Roanhead.
According to plans lodged with Westmorland and Furness Council, the proposed development would consist of 23 holiday lodges, 10 glamping pods, 24 caravan/motorhome pitches, a facilities building, an amenity block and a booking office.
It said it would be a low-impact, sustainable development, but the RSPB has objected to its plans.
It said it had the potential to impact on nearby sites, including the Duddon Estuary Ramsar site, Morecambe Bay and Duddon Estuary SPA, Morecambe Bay SAC, Duddon Estuary SSSI and Sandscale Haws NNR.
The society added that it was concerned the application did not contain a habitats regulation assessment.
It said: “Without an assessment, we believe that Westmorland and Furness Council cannot adequately determine the impact of the development.”
Queensland Country Park said one of the development’s aims was to provide ecologically friendly leisure accommodation that would promote the physical and mental health of its visitors.
But the RSPB said that the assessments submitted with the application were overly focused on the footprint of the development site.
It added: “No adequate assessments have been provided for the significant population of natterjack toads in the adjacent coastal zone or supported farmed habitats. Nor has the applicant sought to assess these recreational impacts on birds…or the rare flora and habitats through which the beach access will go.”
Developers said the site would have a maximum capacity of 208 bedspaces and it expected to attract around 6,000 to 9,000 guests a year.
The firm said: “Initial details of the development have been very carefully considered to ensure the least possible impacts on landscape visuality, habitat and ecological factors by the positioning of built development on the lowest environmental value areas and substantial betterment of these and adjacent areas by way of mitigation and upgrade.
But the RSPB said while the figures may seem welcome, it equates to 33,488 ‘new’ visit days a year and added that the developer’s figures did not include staff or day visitors. The charity added the firm’s figures were based on a single visit a day.
It added: “However, we expect the impact on coastal designated sites each day to be higher than a single visit, this doesn’t to us seem unreasonable for people visiting a resort so close to the beach, especially as the ready access to the beach is frequently advocated by the applicant as a selling point of the development.”
The firm has distanced itself from plans for the neighbouring Roanhead Lodge Resort and added that its application did not include any on site bar, restaurant, café, indoor sports facilities or any indoor events/meeting areas.
It said: “In short, the applicant merely wishes to provide eco-friendly lodge accommodation and touring caravan facilities, of appropriate scale, for visitors and local people wishing to enjoy the unique experience and tranquillity associated with Roanhead and this part of the Cumbrian coastline.”
According to the proposals there would be direct employment benefits and further indirect employment benefits for the local economy from visitors wishing to visit Barrow and Dalton town centres as well as Askam village.
ILM Group has lodged plans on a neighbouring site for 233 lodges – nearly half the previously proposed 450 for the site.
It claims it would significantly reduce the number of visitors to the site and potential associated impacts on the natural environment.
ILM Group add independent economic consultants Hatch project the Roanhead Lodge Resort would also provide an estimated £10.8m annually in visitor spending for Cumbria.
However, the proposals have faced opposition with Barrow Town Council labelling the type of development ‘totally unsuitable’ for the area and state it would have an ‘overbearing impact’ on the countryside.
Friends of the Lake District, Cumbria Wildlife Trust and the National Trust, among other organisations, have objected to the proposals. Campaign group Save Roanhead’s petition has nearly 8,500 signatures against the scheme.
