A ROW has erupted over the proposed creation of a footpath next to a Kirkby Lonsdale housing estate.

Kirkby Lonsdale Town Council says the proposed walkway on land adjacent to the Masters' Grange development will provide schoolchildren and members of the community with a safe and convenient route from the town centre to the Queen Elizabeth School campus.

But residents are unhappy and say they have been 'ignored' when raising concerns and have labelled the walkway as 'unnecessary' and 'dangerous'.

Town council chairman Allan Muirhead said: "The idea is more than eight years old and was considered by the school and council that it would be advantageous to pupils and residents in the town.

"It never got acted upon until the town council looked at it about a year ago and since then we've talked to the school, county highways and South Lakeland District Council."

The land is a public open space and due to a loophole in planning regulations, a pathway does not require formal approval.

For the same reason, he said the council is not required to carry out a consultation.

Homeowners on the three-year-old estate have formed a community group to fight the plan. They believe they should have been consulted and are concerned the route is a danger.

Roni De Rosier, of Defoe Drive, said: "Part of the path runs behind houses on Croft Close so they have a privacy issue, but our main concern is safety.

"Where the path comes out is into a cul-de-sac and right into the reversing circle of the end house.

"There are no pavements as when it was designed it was only supposed to be for the 12 houses here, so children will be walking on the road.

"The entrance to the path is also in the very busy Booths car park which has been proposed as a dropping off point for children."

Ms Rosier said someone from all but one house on the estate had signed an original petition opposing the plan, adding there was an alternative route from the school to the A65.

Residents have also criticised the means by which they believe the path would be funded, with a suggestion of using cash from the New Homes Bonus government scheme.

But Mr Muirhead said the cost had not yet been agreed.

"There's a fund available, but we've gone out to tender simply to establish what a professional firm put the cost at," he said. "That'll help us determine whether it's affordable."