The Planners Response to some of Natland's concerns

Damian Law, South Lakeland District Council's Principal Development Plans Officer replied to some concerns: The event last Monday (4th April) was well attended, over 140 people turned out. Many issues were raised as expressed in your summary particularly with regard to the following issues:

- Infrastructure capacity (schools, roads, other facilities)

- Local flooding issues

- Local road safety issues

- Landscape issues /views

With regard to your specific questions I provide the following response:

Would the new developments affect the running of Natland's underground streams?

Would water surface in the middle of these new developments?

The council in liaison with key bodies such as the Environment Agency will continue to take these issues into account in assessing the overall deliverability of sites. Further investigations may be necessary to understand more fully specific issues associated with individual sites. In instances where particular issues may arise, mitigation measures and pratical solutions will need to be identified in order to enable development.

Would Natland's sewers cope with more houses in the village?

 Preliminary advice from United Utilities states that there are no known sewer capacity issues in Natland.  However, United Utilities do comment that additional work is needed to check if cumulative impact on treatment works may raise capacity issues.

Home Field and the threatened view.

The Council will continue to liaise with United Utilities and seek their advice on this matter.
 Wasn't it really ribbon development along the road to Sedgwick?

It is considered development of site R62/63 (Home Field) would not constitute ribbon development along the road to Sedgwick.

Brow Head. Another view at risk.

'and did the building have to go up the hillside to Brow Head?' (the field on Burton Road opposite the end of Oxenholme Lane)

'Would it stay a quality site or would it end up like all the industrial estates in town?'

 Site M2M is being suggested as a location for a business/science park. The Council envisages such a development to comprise of a mix of B1 uses i.e. Business uses capable of being carried out in any residential area without detriment to amenity. Uses would include offices, research and development and light industrial

Would there be any housing to rent or any small units suitable for the many older single folk in the village who would love to downsize and stay in Natland?"

 In Local Service Centres, on sites providing 3 houses or more, 35% of the total development would need to comprise affordable housing. Affordable housing can comprise social rented housing, it can also comprise shared ownership housing and discounted for sale housing. The Core Strategy includes a policy CS6.2 which seeks to ensure that new developments offer a range of housing sizes and types, taking account of the housing requirement of different groups of society, including the need to deliver low cost market housing as part of the overall housing mix. The Parish Housing Needs Survey questionnaires do include a question asking people why they need to move which does include the option of saying because 'the present home is too large'.