Landscape and wildlife charities opposed to plans for a holiday resort in South Cumbria have welcomed news that the proposal is recommended for refusal.
Members of Westmorland & Furness Council’s strategic planning committee will discuss the controversial application for Roanhead, near Askam-in-Furness, on Monday.
The holiday resort would have 233 lodges and sparked anger from residents, who set up the Save Roanhead group.
Friends of the Lake District, with National Trust, Woodland Trust, RSPB, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust, and Cumbria GeoConservation released a joint statement.
It said: “The proposed development is a serious threat to the internationally significant Morecambe Bay and Duddon Estuary designated sites and the National Nature Reserve at Sandscale Haws.
“Along with the MP for Barrow and Furness, Michelle Scrogham, we have significant concerns about the proposed 233-lodge resort at Roanhead, on the west coast of the Furness peninsula.
“The proposal would lie immediately adjacent to multiple protected sites of international importance for nature: the Duddon Estuary Site of Special Scientific Interest; Duddon Estuary Ramsar Site; Morecambe Bay Special Area of Conservation; and the Morecambe Bay and Duddon Estuary Special Protection Area would all be negatively impacted.
“The site would also border an area of Ancient Woodland and Sandscale Haws, a National Nature Reserve and Local Geological Site, as well as Roanhead Mines County Wildlife Site, all of which would be under threat from the proposal.
“We urge Westmorland and Furness Council’s strategic planning committee to follow the officer’s recommendations and reject this application.
“We are not aware of any other application that has previously received such a significant level, and strength, of objection from both local people and organizations in the area.”
Lorayne Wall, head of planning and policy at Friends of the Lake District, said: “Friends of the Lake District stand firm alongside the many local residents and environmental organisations that have objected to plans for this resort, and we share their deep concerns about the many impacts this proposal will have.
“In addition to harm to internationally important biodiversity, a development of the type and scale proposed will significantly compromise the local landscape, and local people’s enjoyment of it.”
Rose Campbell, of campaign group Save Roanhead, said: “We welcome the news that the proposals which threaten the coastal area of Roanhead have been recommended for refusal.
“Not only will the proposed developments impact on important wildlife habitats in this area, but there will also be an impact on local people who currently enjoy the tranquillity and remoteness here. The council have said that they are committed to halting biodiversity decline, so we hope they will seriously consider this when making their decision.”
Dan Taylor, National Trust general manager for South and East Cumbria and Morecambe Bay, said: “We remain of the view that a development of the scale and nature proposed is fundamentally at odds with such a sensitive location.
“Local people have helped us to make Sandscale Haws a world class nature reserve. The disturbance and pressure which will inevitably arise from this development proposal poses an existential threat to this much-loved gem.”
