Stop the Ratherheath Development - Lake District National Park

[J-Williams]

I dont know how many of you know about this, I have only recently found the group on facebook and I personally would be disgusted if this development went ahead...

The facebook group is called "STOP RATHERHEATH DEVELOPMENT! SAVE THE LAKE DISTRICT NATIONAL PARK!" if you want to check it out.

Please ignore silly comments on their page, I think this is a serious issue and should be stoped! Luckily comments on the group shows that the council is against it!

I do not own the group, I just wanted to bring this to your attention, has anyone heard about this and what are your opinions? have any of you heard of this before now?

I realise not all have Facebook so heres the description on the Group page...

"The picture above is of Ratherheath Tarn, a beautiful location less that 300 metres from where the proposed industrial site is to be built.
If like us, you have serious concerns regarding this proposed development, please voice your opinion directly to the Lake District National Park Authority by E-mailing planning@lakedistrict.gov.uk and please quote the REFERENCE NUMBER 7/2009/5665

HOUGH -TULLET have applied to the Lake District National Park Authority on behalf of the "Ratherheath Partnership" (whoever they are?) for permission to construct a 15.5 hectare (38.3 acre) industrial park using all the meadows on the left hand side of the A591 going north, down Ratherheath hill towards Plantation Bridge. The site is to cover ALL the fields you can see on the left going north immediately before the BP garage and Lakelands Great Outdoors, with the exception of 2 small fields imediatly adjscent to the bungalows at Plantation Bridge.
It is proposed to build approximately 40 commercial units for B1 / B2 (Light engineering etc) & B8 (storage and distribution).
This intended development is in the Lake District National Park and totally out of step with the design and ethos behind the reason the National Park is here in the first place.
Drive over Ratherheath and down the hill and be prepared to be confronted with that wonderful view over Wainwrights Southern & Western Lakeland Fells right into the Kentmeres and, those green meadows with grazing animals leading you and visitors into the wonders the Lake District National Park hold for everyone."

[J-Williams]

Carrying on with the description on the group page, it wouldnt let me put the whole thing on one post!

"The distant view will still be there but you will have some 38 acres of industrial park on your left hand side. Tin sided buildings, tarmac and a bio-fuel powered power station.
It is also intended to construct a large roundabout some 200 metres south of the BP station at the bottom of the hill to create access into the business park.
This will create extensive disruption to traffic in and out of the lakes and will, like the industrial estate have to be illuminated 24 hours a day, to meet to insurance requirements.
It is proposed the industrial site is to have it's own bio-fuel power station, fed daily, 365 days a year by a minimum of 16 tonnes of wood chip, hauled in by lorries from the KIELDER FOREST, SCOTLAND and WALES as the Lakes could only supply less than a tenth of its daily needs (How carbon friendly is that eh).
After more than 2 years of planning this industrial site Hough Tullett have 2 businesses with a possibly interested in their development and one of those is building in Windermere. White Elephants are very rare but this one will definitely not be a tourist attraction !!
Someone somewhere has money burning a hole in their pocket but just who they are no one knows, but by adding your name to this ever growing group you will be contributing in stopping this totally unnecessary industrial development and help in preserving our Lakeland heritage.
Thank you "

[The Woodman]

It aint goin' to happen.

A LARGE business park proposed for a major gateway into the Lake District has been rejected by planning bosses.

Plans to build the 15.5 hectare Ratherheath Business Park, at Plantation Bridge, near Staveley, were unanimously rejected by members of the Lake District National Park Authority yesterday (Wednesday, March 3).

The scheme, by the Ratherheath Partnership - formed by Stagecoach, McClures and Stonecraft Design - would have provided 39,000sq metres of building floorspace, a biomass plant and a 500-space car park.

However it has received widespread opposition from residents. LDNPA planning officers received 251 letters of objection and parish councils across the district had also objected.

Planning officers, who were praised for their work on the report, recommended committee members to refuse the proposal.

“It is high-quality landscape and this proposal over-rides that with a semi-industrial urban landscape,” said planning officer Andrew Smith.

[J-Williams]

Well thats put a smile on my face, the group was extremely out of date anyway and I couldnt find any information elsewhere! Thanks for the Info Woodman!

[The Woodman]

No worries - you can sleep easy now.