A QUAYSIDE housing development planned along Ulverston canal has met with strong objections from town councillors.

Hallmark Developments, based in Rochdale, has lodged an outline planning application with South Lakeland District Council to build a mixture of 30 apartments and houses at Schooners Wharf off North Lonsdale Road. Up to nine of the units have been allocated as affordable housing.

It is not the first application that has been submitted by the developers for Schooners Wharf.

Planning officer for SLDC Kate Lawson said the council received the same application last year but when the Environment Agency asked for a flood risk assessment to be carried out and for the issues of contamination in the area to be addressed, it was withdrawn.

At the latest meeting of Ulverston Town Council, Coun Bob Bolton said members should be "consistent" and recommend refusal.

Coun Bolton voiced concerns about access from the site as people living within the development would use North Lonsdale Road and North Lonsdale Terrace.

"This is the same access as the development planned for Lund Farm and I think until a traffic assessment and proper measures have been put in place there cannot be a housing development built in this area," said Coun Bolton, who also pointed out that Schooners Wharf was an allocated employment site.

"This is an ideal site for employment so we should be encouraging that. It is not allocated for housing. I am also concerned with the layout that has been put forward, as the low cost housing units have been positioned right next to a building merchant."

Despite numerous attempts by the Westmorland Gazette to speak to the developers, they were unavailable for comment. SLDC's planning committee will discuss the application on May 29.

April 24, 2003 12:00