Broughtonlocal

Fury as residents ‘not aware’ of expansion plan

Last updated at 15:06, Thursday, 01 September 2011

A CONTROVERSIAL housing plan which could see up to 90 new homes built in a village has been expanded.

CONTROVERSIAL: An area of land earmarked for housing in Kirkby has been split with a section of the site suggested as an employment area. Here Kirkby residents opposed to building proposals in their village stand next to the field, behind the post office. Pictured are Derek Southward, Ivan Taylfourth, Edith Southward, Elaine Varley and Ken Wilkinson. Inset, Councillor Peter Thornton JON GRANGER REF: 50018792B001

Members of Kirkby Housing Action Group have been left furious by the changes to South Lakeland District Council’s plans to extend the proposed areas, including ‘employment areas’, which could be used for industrial units.

Land earmarked for housing behind Moorland Service Station has been split with an area of the site suggested as an employment area.

Mary Wilkinson, secretary of Kirkby Housing Action Group, said she felt as if the village has been kept in the dark.

She said: “SLDC have put further sites forward for the housing – one of which is the field behind the garage and the shop.

“Part of it will be an employment area, which we understand to be industrial units.

“This is just on the SLDC website so many people are not aware of it. We have had no consultation about this.

“We have been putting notices up around the village to let people know what is going on.”

The Strategic Land Allocation Assessment aims to pinpoint locations across South Lakeland which could be used for development.

Following a series of heated meetings in Kirkby, the group voted to propose land behind Burlington School as an alternative site.

This has now been added to the scheme, alongside a list of alternative sites including land north of Beckside and near Skell Hall Farm in Sandside.

Councillor Peter Thornton, portfolio holder for housing and development at SLDC, said: “This council has been committed to consulting communities throughout the process.

“The fact we’ve had so much response demonstrates the fact we’ve been very successful at making people aware of what’s going on.

“There can be very few people in any of the areas not fully aware of the process.”

Full plans can be seen in Ulverston Town Hall, Ulverston Library or the Coronation Hall.

The consultation ends on September 9, when the council will review its options before announcing which areas will be used for development.

First published at 13:28, Thursday, 01 September 2011
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk