Decision on scaled-back flood defence project due

The new wall would be 41m (135ft) shorter than originally planned and no more than 1.65m (5.5ft) high

A decision on a scaled-back flood defence scheme that has had dozens of objections is due.

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.

The decision was deferred in May 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.

Councillors are expected to decide whether the scaled-back project to build a flood wall with flood gates is given planning permission on Thursday.

The plans involve the new wall being 41m (135ft) shorter than originally planned and no more than 1.65m (5.5ft) high.

There would also be new flood gates at the end of New Road, next to Gooseholme Footbridge, and at the pedestrian crossing between New Road and Blackhall Road.

There were concerns from planning officers, the police and councillors that walling off New Road Common from view would make it less safe and encourage anti-social behaviour.

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

The Environment Agency (EA) said the proposed landscaping had "been kept to a minimum to ensure that the existing openness" of the land was retained.

The EA submitted the amendments because of "emerging technical design difficulties".