I read Cllr Vincent’s letter (March 22, Shops had a great Christmas').

As was pointed out at the recent parish meeting to Cllr Vincent, the remaining shops in Kendal town centre may have had a very good Christmas but Kendal still has large numbers of vacant shops and is not considered by many as a first choice for shoppers.

The way in which South Lakeland District Council has dealt with New Road Common at Kendal is being called into question, together with the Market Place improvements.

SLDC continues to make these big decisions on our behalf, imposing on us what they think fit.

SLDC considers the interim works being carried out at New Road on New Road Common legal - I have now seen sight of the opinion of three barristers who disagree.

The Town and Country Planning Act 1990 provides that planning permission is required for carrying out of any development on land. The definitions of ‘development’ and ‘building operations’ are provided under s55(1) of the same Act: the former involves carrying out of building, engineering or other operations on the land or making material change in use of the land; while the latter means demolition of buildings, rebuilding, structural alterations or additions to buildings.

Under s38 of the Commons Act 2006, consent from the Planning Inspectorate is needed to carry out any restricted works on land registered as common land under Commons Registration Act 1995. Operations governed by subsection (3) of s.38 includes construction of buildings and other structures and erection of fencing. A remedy is provided under s.41 of the same legislation.

As for the bleating, maybe it’s time for Cllr Vincent and his flock in the fold at South Lakeland Towers to be good shepherds and listen to the flocks across the villages, towns, valleys, hills and mountains of South Lakeland to what they want to happen in their communities, rather than imposing what they see fit.

David Fone

Kendal