Controversial plans for a 233-lodge holiday resort in South Cumbria have been thrown out.
Plans for the resort at Roanhead, near Askham-in-Furness, attracted huge criticism and a protest group, Save Roanhead, was set up against the proposals.
The application for Roanhead Lodge Resort was discussed by Westmorland & Furness Council’s strategic planning committee today, Monday November 24.
Campaigners against the plans gathered outside the meeting.
In an 106-page report, council officers recommended that the committee refuses planning permission, despite saying that broadly, it would be an acceptable development of the land.
A report to members said: “The conclusion reached here is that the application be recommended for refusal broadly on the grounds of likely harm to designated ecological features afforded the highest level of environmental protection, as well as irreversible harm to the established, widely-cherished landscape character of this coastal margin – notably the finely balanced, attuned disposition of the nearby Sandscale Haws and Roanhead Beach within the Duddon Estuary.”
New plans for the site were lodged in January with Westmorland and Furness Council after previous controversial proposals for 450 lodges were withdrawn by developer ILM Group in December.
The current application is for the principle of the scheme and access to it. Applicants for the proposal were J and JT Curtis.
The new scaled-back proposals included 233 lodges, which the developers said would significantly reduce the number of visitors to the site and potential associated impacts on the natural environment.
Developers said the resort would create 209 jobs during construction as well as an additional 184 permanent jobs during operation with 164 of these expected on-site at Roanhead resort. Apprenticeship opportunities would also be offered via a new training academy on the site.
However, it has attracted hundreds of objections about its impact in the area from landscape and wildlife charities, the National Trust and town and parish councils.
Over 3,000 submissions were sent by individuals to the the council, with 2,919 objecting, 500 supporting and one neutral.
The highways authority identified several concerns around access to the site and requested more dialogue with the developers.
Cumbria Tourism welcomed the plans as they fitted its strategy, but said it was not commenting on areas outside its remit.
Council officers concluded: “The proposed development would mark a major investment in the local economy by diversifying its tourism offer with the promise of leisure facilities available to both residents and day visitors, employment creation and training and increased inward spending benefitting local businesses and services.”
But the report added: “Taking into account the ecological sensitivity of Sandscale Haws and Roanhead Beach and the evinced balance, albeit fragile and thus constantly under threat, achieved between accessibility and protection, officers submit that the directing balance of priorities lies squarely in favour of safeguarding this environment from any sustained material increase in recreational activity.”
After the proposal was rejected by the committee, Lorayne Wall, head of planning and policy at Friends of the Lake District, said: “We welcome the news that these proposals have been refused.
“Friends of the Lake District stood firm alongside the many local residents and environmental organisations that objected to plans for this resort.
“We shared their deep concerns about the many impacts this proposal would have had.
“As well as causing harm to internationally important sites of biodiversity, a development of the type and scale proposed would have significantly compromised the local landscape and people’s enjoyment of it.”
