AMMENDMENTS to Kendal’s flood defence scheme are set to be given the go-ahead despite receiving dozens of objections.

Members of South Lakeland local area planning committee are recommended to give the green light to amendments to the flood defence scheme previously approved on the western side of the riverbank of the River Kent in the town centre.

According to planning documents the Environment Agency submitted an amended scheme due to ‘emerging technical design difficulties’ following the receipt of additional topographical data.

Plans for flood defences at this site were previously approved in 2019 but the new proposed development is considered ‘preferable’ as it is ‘technically feasible’ and provides a level of flood resilience while maintaining the openness of and access to New Road Common, documents submitted by the Environment Agency state.

Proposals include a shorter 148-metre-long flood wall compared to the previously proposed 189 metre wall which will not impede access to New Road Common. The wall will also have a maximum height of 1.65 metres.

A report by planning officers concludes: “Overall, notwithstanding the residual harms to cultural heritage and the broader amenity of the area, the importance of minimising flood risk in Kendal (and the continued delivery of the Kendal Flood Risk Management Scheme) is judged a significant public benefit that carries overwhelming weight in this case.”

Plans also include the construction of flood gates at the end of New Road next to Gooseholme Footbridge and at the pedestrian crossing between New Road and Blackhall Road. The floodgates have been designed to stop water running onto New Road and beyond during a flood.

Other proposals include the reprofiling of the slipway by replacing the existing gravel covered slipway with stone pitching to mirror the riverbank through much of Kendal and new surface water drainage will be constructed to allow for the discharge of water into the river, via an outfall flap to be installed on the dry side of the defences.

However, the proposals have received 69 objections, including representations from Kendal Town Council as well as councillors Helen Ladhams, Matt Severn and Shirely Evans who raise concerns the proposals could lead to anti-social behaviour.

Cllr Severn said: “The common is used by pedestrians, runners and people exercising at all hours and these proposals do not consider their safety or the practicality of walling off from view a common area of land.

“I think that many people would feel it potentially unsafe at night, and that once that perception spreads the lack of physical scrutiny could also encourage anti-social behaviour on the common.”

Cllr Ladhams stated she is ‘very unhappy’ with the new proposals and added the proposed wall will provide a ‘hiding place for anti-social behaviour’.

The report by planning officers says: “The effect of the proposals on the broader amenity of the area is also an issue, with the defences likely to make New Road Common feel less safe, if not actually less safe, in terms of an increased potential for crime and antisocial behaviour.”

Cumbria Constabulary also responded to the amended scheme to recommend the landscaping scheme is revisited to allow only low-level species within the proposed planters to ensure that the common can be overlooked.

The Environment Agency state in plans: "The proposed landscaping has been kept to a minimum to ensure that the existing openness of the Common
can be retained."

"The existing CCTV column to the south-west of the proposed development site will be retained and its reach across the Common unaffected", it adds.

To enable construction, a single lane closure on New Road would be required for the entire construction period, causing disruption to traffic.

The working area would also result in the closure of New Road Common in its entirety however planning documents say the disruption is no more ‘substantial’ than the consented scheme.

Planning documents submitted by the applicant state: “Though the proposed development alone has little direct impact on the economy of the Kendal, during operation, it does form part of the consented scheme, which is instrumental in supporting it, by providing greater flood risk protection to Kendal.

“The proposed development would reduce the risk of flooding to New Road and New Road Common which would indirectly benefit local businesses and the local economy across Kendal. These beneficial effects would bear no difference to those identified for the consented scheme.”

Members of South Lakeland local area planning committee are recommended to approve the plans when they meet on Friday May 10 at Kendal Town Hall.