Latest news with #andFurnessCouncil
BBC News
03-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Barrow Marina Village project has 'moved on' from original plans
A council leader has dismissed concerns over plans for a waterfront development being scaled back and has said the "world has moved on" since they were first and Furness Council's Marina Village scheme in Barrow will be made up of 800 new homes and a nature conservation area, once a developer can be project has been in the works for at least 20 years but previous designs included a water sports centre, shops and fewer concerns about the missing facilities, Liberal Democrat councillor Judith Derbyshire said: "The marina idea has moved on - it's still called the Marina Village but things have changed in that world." She told Radio Cumbria the council was "looking at it now as mainly a housing area, but also as areas for people to enjoy the wildlife and enjoy walking and cycling"."It is not purely housing, it's a mix of uses, but the emphasis is on residential," she the lack of proposed shops in the development, Derbyshire said their was a Morrisons nearby but "a lot of people are ordering their food by delivery anyway". Changing plans In 2020, architect firm Bowker Sadler described plans for the Marina Village as including "750 family homes and apartments, commercial offices, hotels, a 350-berth marina, marina facilities building, waterfront cafes and restaurants, athletics and water sports facilities, a maritime canal link and recreational parks".The most recent supplementary planning document for the scheme states the development's main objectives include building "high-quality and aspirational homes" while making the most of its "waterfront setting".The document does not mention water sport facilities but states the development will be "set within a sustainable network of vibrant and natural spaces, which support well-being, active travel and a great quality of life".It also encourages developers to submit designs which would enable people to have a more active lifestyle by "encouraging walking, cycling, play and active leisure". 'Attracting' developers The land is currently classed as a brownfield site and consists of old dockland infrastructure and former commercial redevelopment was a long-held ambition of Barrow Borough Council, the former local authority, but progress stalled on the Marina Village site following the 2008 recession and public spending austerity has since been made on the land and a second phase of work to prepare it for redevelopment began after the council received £24.8m from the 25-hectare (62-acre) plot is located next to Cavendish Dock but the council is still on the hunt for a developer to take on the said the council was "looking at different ways of attracting developers".Planning permission will go before the council next year and it is hoped the estate's first residents will move in during 2027. Derbyshire said she believed the development, along with other housing projects in Greengate Street and Steamer Street, had the potential to boost the local economy. The council has named the regeneration project Barrow Rising."That's what Barrow Rising is about - ensuring that everybody is lifted by all the things happening in Barrow at the moment," she said. Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
09-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
Appleby statue to celebrate horse fair rejected
Plans for a sculpture to celebrate a town's link to the Gypsy and traveller community have been turned down by a and Furness Council refused a planning application for a stallion statue on the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, to celebrate the town's role in hosting the annual horse fair - a big event in the traveller application, submitted by community interest company Drive 2 Survive, said the 7ft (2m) sculpture would be donated to the town as a thank you for hosting the event.A decision notice by the council said the proposed site would "visually compete" with surrounding listed buildings, such as the Church of St Lawrence and St Lawrence's Bridge. It said: "The proposal would undermine the inclusive and neutral amenity value of a well-used public space, with a significant number of local representations raising concerns about the impact of the sculpture's symbolic presence on community cohesion, emotional comfort and the shared use of the site."It added while the "cultural intention" of the project was "fully acknowledged and respected", the applicant had not offered any "compelling justification" for the location of the sculpture and it could be located elsewhere. Dozens of objections The bank of the river is significant for the community, as it is where horses are traditionally washed during the to the artist's statement submitted with the application, outside the fair week, "very little tangible evidence" existed of the importance of the fair to the town and its Gypsy and traveller visitors.A report prepared by council planning officers said the plans received 163 letters of support, 72 objections and 21 observation concerns included the "visual sensitivity" of the location and the prominence of the report added: "Some local residents also expressed support for the proposal, welcoming the opportunity to celebrate a tradition that has shaped Appleby's reputation and economy."Documents show the statue was one of 12 sculptures Drive 2 Survive was producing with funding from the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust. Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
07-04-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Lincolns Bridge in Sedburgh closed for 'essential' repairs
A historic bridge will be closed for up to three weeks from Monday morning so its stonework can be Grade II listed Lincolns Bridge, on the A684 at Sedbergh, Cumbria, will have several sections of its parapet walls rebuilt with the supporting structure beneath also being worked and Furness Council described the scheme as "essential", using materials that closely matched existing ones to meet Historic England minor defects have previously been addressed through regular monitoring, the authority said further work was needed to "proactively" prevent the risk of a longer closure. A spokesperson said: "Regular inspections and investment in our historic bridge stock is essential to ensure they remain safe and accessible for all who use them."We recognise the inconvenience this closure will have on road users, in particular HGVs, given its location on the A684 and appreciate your patience and understanding." Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
23-03-2025
- BBC News
Grade II listed Duddon Bridge to be closed for repairs
A Grade II listed bridge on a key commuter route is due to close for Bridge on the A595 near Millom, Cumbria, will be closed for five nights from Monday between 22:00 GMT and 06: and Furness Council, which is in charge of the work, said it was needed to "preserve the heritage status and structural integrity" of the authority said the closure times had been agreed with the area's major employers, including Sellafield, BAE Systems, HMP Haverigg and Furness General Hospital, to minimise impact on staff travel. The project includes the restoration of the parapet walls, with some reconstruction and repointing needed.A spokesperson for the authority said: "The overnight closure has been planned to try to minimise disruption and we have timed the closure in consultation with several major employers to try to take account of the busiest staff travel times." Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
14-03-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Kirkby Lonsdale road shut after fatal fire may reopen in April
A road which has been closed since a fatal fire last year is due to reopen to cars in April. One man died in the blaze, which ripped through a flat on Main Street, Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria, in December, and 20 people were displaced. Dozens of homes and businesses were and Furness Council said people had since been able to return to their properties but nearby Market Street remained shut to vehicles. Cabinet member for highways and Liberal Democrat councillor, Peter Thornton, said the road should be reopened in time for the Easter holidays and called it a "major milestone". He said the works would "reconnect" one side of the town to the other. The scheme will begin on Monday and last until early April, the council said. It will include works to prevent further deterioration of the shops inside the Old Market Hall, the removal of rubble from the former Taylor's Building and the scaffolding around the site, as well as the restoration of the road reopens, it will have a weight restriction in place for vehicles of more than 7.5 tonnes, the local authority said. Thornton called on pedestrians to take "extra care" while contractors were on site. "Meanwhile, the town is very much open for business, and I know the community would appreciate shoppers and visitors coming to experience the town with its high-quality independent shopping," he said.
