Roanhead Farm wildlife row holiday resort plans backed

Friends of the Lake District object to building on a "rare, fragile and protected area"

Revised plans for a holiday park in Cumbria, opposed by wildlife groups, have been backed by tourism bosses.

Developers scaled back plans for a 450-lodge resort at Roanhead Farm, near Askam, to 233 lodges after facing a backlash.

The groups objected to building on a "rare, fragile and protected area" that is "teeming with wildlife".

Cumbria Tourism claims the park could bring "transformational benefits" to the area and improve visitor numbers.

The ILM group lodged new plans with Westmorland and Furness Council in January, after previous proposals were withdrawn in November.

Under the new proposals, "buffer zones" between the resort and designated nature sites have been expanded and construction access to the site has been moved from ancient woodland.

'Completely inappropriate'

The original plans saw objections from town councils, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, Friends of the Lake District and Natural England.

Head of Friends of the Lake District Michael Hill said: "The impact of lodges, parking, restaurants and sports facilities on the landscape, along with the additional footfall of thousands more people in a rare, fragile and internationally protected area, teeming with wildlife, is completely inappropriate.

"Over 7,200 people have signed a petition against the proposal but planners will only take into account objections made directly to them. Also responses to the previous application won't count either.

"We are therefore urging anyone who values Roanhead to make their views known once more, and as soon as possible."

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Andrew Coutts, the head of ILM Group, described the updated plans as "more balanced and sensitive to the surrounding environment".

Cumbria Tourism managing director Gill Haigh said the organisation believes there will be "clear benefits for the wider areas and communities of Barrow, Morecambe Bay, the Lake District Coast and the county as a whole".

Cumbria Tourism added that Furness was "underperforming in terms of the visitor volume and value" and said the "modified plans should now be fully considered".

The proposals will now go through Westmorland and Furness Council's planning process.