A CAR dealership has returned with fresh plans for a new showroom after its original design was rejected as out-of-keeping in the Lake District landscape.

Bateman BMW, of Lindale Hill, has worked closely with Lake District planners to come up with a scaled-down, more traditional design for a new car showroom and workshop at Shaw's Transport Ltd, Kendal Road, Lindale.

Last year the national park authority rejected Bateman's plans, and a subsequent appeal by the dealership failed.

Planning inspector Bob Lyon said the proposed flat-roofed building would look out of place in the landscape, would be unlike any other building in the area, and would be too large.

Bateman BMW director Phil Stott said the new plans featured "a completely different building design" which had been reduced in size by around 25 per cent, and looked more traditional.

The design features natural stone and blue-slate roofing.

Mr Stott said the dealership had taken note of the inspector's comments, adding: "We are very hopeful everything will now go ahead because we've worked so closely with the planners on this second attempt."

Mr Stott said the parish council was "100 per cent" behind the company, as was BMW, which appreciated the sensitive issues involved in creating new premises in the national park.

It is hoped the new development would eventually create five to eight new jobs.

l For the second year running, Bateman BMW has won BMW's customer satisfaction awards, coming top out of 155 dealers in the United Kingdom.