SOUTH LAKES GATEWAY PROJECT UPDATE

On behalf of the Westmorland County Agricultural Society and L & K Auction Mart, the joint outline planning application, has now been lodged with South Lakeland District Council for consideration (the Auction Mart having paid the planning fee of £32,000). Along with the application are a number of detailed reports on the Economic Impact of the Project, Traffic Impact Assessments, Archaeological reports and Architect plans and costs of the proposed buildings.

It is very likely that the District Council will refer the application to the Government North West Office, which will probably result in a public inquiry being held later this year.
A number of presentations of the Project have been made to various groups in the area including Town and Parish Councils, Farm Groups, Chambers of Trade etc. One group, South Lakeland Opposed to Gateway (SLOG) is, as the name suggests, against the Project because they are concerned, amongst other things, about increased traffic and the use of a green field site for development.

Society members may like to know that of those who have seen the plans for the Project, virtually none are against the improvements to the Showfield or the possibility of more events on site. They are concerned about the viability of the Auction Mart and the possible extra traffic that may use the Crooklands to Milnthorpe Road (B6385). Below are some statistics taken from the Consultant's report on the Project.

Currently 28 - 32,000 vehicles use the A590 each day, 59% coming from the South. It is estimated that 1,700 vehicles would access the Gateway Project each day (excluding any using the slip road to go to the Showfield).

Currently 2,870 vehicles use the Crooklands to Milnthorpe Road (B6385), 148 come from the Mainline Industrial Estate and most of these are articulated lorries. It is anticipated that over 90% of this traffic would use the slip road. By way of information, the Mainline Industrial Estate already has planning permission to extend by over 10 acres and this is forecast to generate a further 800 vehicles.
The Gateway Project is estimated to be worth over £22 million to the local economy and could create a spin-off of over 300 jobs (many of these being linked to activity on the Showfield).

Whilst waiting for the planning application to be considered, the South Lakeland Gateway Steering Group are continuing to give presentations and further information on the Project. If any Farmer Discussion Group, YFC or other Society members would like further details, they should contact Rodger Read, Project Officer on 015242 71593
email on randjread@tiscali.co.uk.