Askam holiday resort planning application withdrawn

The resort near Askam was backed by Cumbria Tourism but attracted opposition elsewhere

A planning application for a £100m holiday resort has been withdrawn amid objections from councils, environmental organisations and campaign groups.

Developer ILM Group is seeking to build 450 lodges on land at Roanhead Farm near Askam in Cumbria.

Critics say it would "impact significantly" on the landscape and the recreational value of the land.

ILM's managing director Andrew Coutts confirmed the application, backed by tourism chiefs, had been withdrawn.

Mr Coutts said: "Whilst we stand firm in our belief that a resort in this location can deliver significant benefits to the Furness area and support ambitions to grow the local economy, we are taking time to review our plans in light of the feedback received during the planning process."

'Transformational benefits'

The resort had faced local opposition, with a petition called "Save Roanhead from Developers" attracting more than 7,000 signatures.

Objections were received from town councils, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, Friends of the Lake District and Natural England, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Founder of the Save Roanhead campaign group Kelly Holland had urged Westmorland and Furness Council to "do the right thing" and reject the proposal.

Conservation groups also expressed concerns about the impact on natterjack toads.

In its planning statement, the developer estimated that £202m would be spent by visitors to the resort over 10 years, supporting 200 jobs in Cumbria.

Managing director of Cumbria Tourism Gill Haigh submitted a letter in support of the the application, saying the leisure project would bring "transformational benefits to Furness and Barrow".

However, the development suffered a blow in October when Landal Greens, the company expected to operate the resort, said it had "suspended discussions" with the developer until a revised plan addressed "challenging ecological concerns".