Plans to convert a shed in the Lake District into family-friendly accommodation to support an arts organisation have been given the go-ahead.
Members of the development control committee for the Lake District National Park have approved proposals from Grizedale Arts to convert and extend a workshop on Lawson Park on the eastern shore of Coniston into a dwelling.
The proposed conversion will add to the accommodation offer for artists visiting the organisation at Lawson Park.
Plans said: “This will provide fully accessible, family-friendly accommodation as an extension to Lawson Park’s facilities, enabling Grizedale Arts to better support artists with dependents or access needs to come and work with the local communities and expand Grizedale Arts programme reach.”
Committee member Jim Jackson said it felt like it was giving something to the business and added: “I very much welcome the accessibility for disabled people.”
Plans said the proposed accommodation would be self-built through a series of construction workshops, led by trained craftspeople, aimed at teaching traditional craft and construction skills to local women in a bid to address the ‘gender imbalance’ in the construction industry.
According to the applicant, there was also a lack of suitable accommodation attached to residency programmes that allows artists with access needs or caring responsibilities to participate.
It said: “The Black Shed project will address this issue directly, creating a flexible space that will enable artists and volunteers with access requirements, or those with caring responsibilities, who need to travel with a carer, to participate in artist residencies on site at Lawson Park.
“In doing so, it will provide equal access to the opportunities offered by Grizedale Arts.”
