Highgate revamp to run into the new year

9:00pm Wednesday 24th October 2012 in News

A KENDAL regeneration scheme, which should have been completed by Easter, is set to drag into the new year.

There were fears the £345,000 Highgate project, which started in September after a five-month delay, could have run until late November, hitting Christmas trade. But the construction team will down tools on November 9, and not go back on site until January.

South Lakeland district councillor, and Highgate Partnership member Coun Graham Vincent slammed the delay and its effect on trade. He said: “There doesn’t seem to be much understanding of what businesses’ fears are.”

It is understood bad weather and extra materials needed for new traffic lights have prolonged the work.

Emma Butterworth, 33, who owns the Frothimoon bridal shop, said the work had already had a ‘massive affect’ on her business.

Cumbria County Council said: “Highgate works have been extended but, rather than run into the Christmas shopping season, we will halt works on November 9, and then the Christmas embargo period will begin. The works will be picked back up in January.”

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Comments(15)

TomHarvey says...
9:43pm Wed 24 Oct 12

It wasn't long ago that Cllr Vincent and Tims Team were happily claiming credit for the works on Highgate - what about now taking responsibility for the delays and impact it will have on hard pressed traders.

We are also still waiting for the £100k+ that should have come from K-Village as part of their agreement to develop the Shopping Village which was to support this, instead taxpayers are footing that part of the bill until (if) they pay up.

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oceancloud says...
9:50pm Wed 24 Oct 12

Not much sign of any re generation going on at the moment. Just the generation of huge traffic jams coming into the town! Cannot honestly think that any funds will be forthcoming from K Village. I find it a novelty to stop at the traffic lights and see the odd car emerging. Cadbury's are/have pulled out and I'me sure there will be more to come before long. I understand there is not one of the flats occupied.

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Lakeuk says...
12:04am Thu 25 Oct 12

Hope they clear up before they break in a couple of weeks for car and pedestrian can make full use of Highgate

Had a wonder through K Village a couple of weeks bad, bit shocking to see the woodwork and paint peeling a way, they need a maintain guy to look after the up keep. If they're not paying money on maintainable then not much chance of Kendal getting it's promised £100k

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adecco12 says...
2:14pm Thu 25 Oct 12

How can you lose business, if a shop is never open? All you see when you are coming through Highgate is empty shops. Doesn't give a very good impression to tourists coming into the town

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Moonbase says...
7:23pm Thu 25 Oct 12

I dont think 100 defibrillators could bring life back to that end of town.
I suppose we have one consulation.......
Extra yellow flashing lights as you crawl through town at christmas...unfortun
ately they are not christmas lights just road work lights.
As for the 100k...there was no way that was ever going to be paid and as for the museum...........the whole debarcle is going to turn into one anyway by itself.
Could'nt make it up.....well you could..
Seriously,a factory outlet with no parking for coaches.
Bright!!!!!!

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Moonbase says...
7:26pm Thu 25 Oct 12

oceancloud wrote:
Not much sign of any re generation going on at the moment. Just the generation of huge traffic jams coming into the town! Cannot honestly think that any funds will be forthcoming from K Village. I find it a novelty to stop at the traffic lights and see the odd car emerging. Cadbury's are/have pulled out and I'me sure there will be more to come before long. I understand there is not one of the flats occupied.
Heard there is 'Mice' in 224........

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Kendaltrader says...
11:18am Fri 26 Oct 12

Interesting that the council can spend £360,000 on parking meters without a problem whilst the money for the Highgate improvements £345,000 had to be bid for and almost scrabbled together. A process which has been ongoing for approx 18 months. Shows were the priorities lie!!!

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whiskeydelta says...
3:27pm Fri 26 Oct 12

Can anyone spot the difference between the "old" and "new" Highgate? I would want my money back. Will the £345,000 be the limit or will the contractors demand more next year to finish the job? To be honest I just want it finished cos I'm fed up stuck in a traffic jam every morning going to work. It's certainly putting off shoppers coming to Kendal, getting mired up in traffic and then paying through the nose for parking. Or of course you could pay £1 and park at K Village & head into Kendal tripping up over all the building work & then the "improvement" scheme. If I didn't have to go into Kendal for work I wouldn't bother.

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Ambience says...
10:48am Sat 27 Oct 12

I don't have to go into Kendal for work, so I don't go into Kendal at all. It's just too much hassle.

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Milkbutnosugarplease says...
3:32pm Sun 28 Oct 12

I'm too thick to understand the traffic system in Kendal, so I go round it if at all possible. From recent stories about parking charges, new machines, roadworks and empty shops - well, almost any other town in Cumbria or Lancashire will be a better destination.

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life cycle too says...
9:46am Mon 29 Oct 12

I was in Barrow yesterday, and their parking was free on Sundays.

However, their road improvement scheme along the lines of the Highgate scheme looked like it was designed as a junior school project!

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newcmr says...
7:59pm Mon 29 Oct 12

If people look around some other Kendal size towns they may manage to thank their lucky stars that Kendal actually has relatively very few empty shops. That is why the idea that Kendal actually had a chance to get any where with the Mary Portas scheme was laughable. Be happy for once that your Town is at least coping favourably in this recession!

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Desdan says...
7:54pm Tue 30 Oct 12

Lets be quite honest, if it wasn't for Home Bargins and Pound Land, the streets of Kendal would be empty. You can't make a silk purse out of a Sow's ear!! Cumbria County council likes to pat itself on the back constantly, but the truth is they wasting taxpayers money hand over fist. The regeneration of Kendal town is just one of them. when are we going to have a proper pedestrian area in the town. All day there are cars, vans, buses, taxis pushing pedestrians out of the way. Dangerous cyclists, flying both ways. A pedestrian area should mean what it says, no pandering to minorities!! There are roads in this town that need attention before throwing it down Highgate.

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Kendaltrader says...
9:05am Wed 31 Oct 12

I understood that parking fees at K Village had to be in line with the rest of the town as part of its planning consent. I presume that this was so they did not have an unfair advantage on other retailers in the town centre. In addition also as part of its planning consent I understood that they were supposed to run a shuttle bus from K village into town and back round. As I understand it no one put a date in the planning consent for this to happen so guess what? One rule for one one rule for another??

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snuggle-bunny says...
10:25pm Wed 31 Oct 12

you couldnt write a script could you- pathetic

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