THE opening hours of a proposed self-storage site featuring 120 containers were altered by the district council prior to the project being given approval.

The series of 2.14m x 2.09m containers on land at Gatebeck, near Kendal, would have been accessible 24 hours a day under the terms of the initial application.

But, after members of the public expressed concerns about these hours, South Lakeland District Council stipulated the site would only be open between 7am and 9pm each day.

This condition was inserted into approval of the scheme 'to safeguard the amenity of neighbouring residents'.

Among those to send in representations about the site, which is to be situated to the east of unit 1, Beckside Business Park, were Mark and Evelyn Stott, who own property at Gatebeck.

They said round-the-clock opening would have led to 'noise and disturbance to the residents of the village during unsociable hours'.

Susan and David Richardson, who live at Gatebeck, said in their letter of representation: "We wish to object to the 24-hour opening of this application due to the fact this could potentially result in disturbances all through the night.

"We propose reasonable opening times would be 7am to 9pm each day."

Two parking spaces are to be created at the site, which customers will be able to access using codes.

The design and access statement says the containers will be managed by 'an established company with experience of providing self-storage sites'.

The statement says it is expected the majority of customers will use the site for 'long-term storage' and will visit infrequently.

The district council's approval of the plan, submitted by Mr and Mrs Whitehead, of Pinders Lane, Holme, also specifies the brand of 60-watt floodlights that needs to be used.

"The lights shall be operated by a movement sensor and will be directed to point towards the ground and angled away from the boundaries of the adjacent residential properties located to the east of the site," says the notice of grant of planning permission.

"The lights shall only be operational during the hours of darkness between 7am and 9pm, Mondays to Sundays."