Decision to amend flood defence scheme deferred

Councillors say a flood wall would block views and encourage anti-social behaviour

Plans to amend a flood defence scheme have been delayed amid dozens of objections.

An amendment which proposed a flood wall with flood gates on the River Kent in Kendal town centre prompted 69 objections, including from councillors, who argued the wall would block views and encourage anti-social behaviour.

Plans for flood defences at the site were previously approved in 2019, but had to be changed because of "additional topographical data".

Westmorland and Furness Council deferred proposals on Friday to allow more time to hear from the Environment Agency (EA) about how it explored different options and reached the decision to go with the proposed wall.

Objecting to the plans, Liberal Democrat councillor Shirley Evans said the proposed walls would be "Kendal’s own mini Berlin Wall" which would "sever" the conservation area.

She called on the EA to use glass panel walls instead of the proposed solid wall to maintain the views, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Currently, there are metal gates on the western side of the riverbank of the River Kent

A flood wall and flood gates have been proposed in its place (Generated image)

The new proposals included a shorter 489ft-long (148m) flood wall, compared with the previously proposed 620ft (189m) wall, which would not impede access to New Road Common.

The proposed wall would also have a maximum height of 5ft 4in (1.64m), which is 4in (10cm) higher than the maximum height in the previously approved scheme, according to a report prepared for the committee.

Flood risk manager for Cumbria for the Environment Agency Richard Knight told the committee the proposed works would help reduce flood risk for approximately 383 homes and businesses.

In planning documents, councillor Helen Ladhams (Lib Dems) stated she was "very unhappy" with the new proposals and added the proposed wall would provide a "hiding place for anti-social behaviour".

Mr Knight told the committee the use of glass in the scheme would add in the region of £750,000 in "additional unfunded cost", and delay construction by a year.

Planning officers recommended approval to the amended scheme, saying minimising flood risk carried "overwhelming weight in this case".

Members of South Lakeland local area planning committee for the Liberal Democrat-run authority deferred the plans on Friday at Kendal Town Hall.