PROPOSALS to relocate around 60 high-quality jobs away from an internationally recognised research station in the Lake District have been put on hold.

Scientists, support and technical staff at the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) at Windermere were expecting to hear this month (April) whether they would be moving to a purpose-built unit at Lancaster University.

But the awaited decision has been postponed until September at the earliest during which time staff will remain at the Ferry House site on the lake's western shores.

The CEH's director Prof Pat Nuttall has been asked to present future plans for the CEH, reflecting "science excellence and value for money", to its funding body, the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), in September.

She outlined various proposals to the NERC's Council - its decision-making body - this month after being asked to prepare a science and business case for the Windermere to Lancaster move.

Among the options presented were moving the whole laboratory to Lancaster University; dividing the laboratory up between CEH Lancaster and another site; retaining the laboratory at Windermere.

Council members backed moves to bring together freshwater and terrestrial ecology at Lancaster, but felt the relocation of all of CEH Windermere was unjustified because of the " high costs".

Council also felt the high running costs of remaining at Windermere were "unsustainable".

Director of Windermere Laboratory Dr Peter Matthiessen explained the move was " primarily a financial decision" because Ferry House's age made it "a very expensive site to operate".

"We were asking for substantial sums of money to fund the relocation.

For that reason, until the financial position becomes clear, they NERC decided to put off a decision until September at the earliest.

"We are still looking at various options, various ways of relocating," he added.

Dr Matthiessen said operations at Ferry House would continue as normal, but he expressed some concern about staff morale.

"Obviously uncertainty about the future is undesirable.

That's why we hope it won't carry on beyond the autumn," he said.

"We are as sure as we can be that there will be some form of relocation, and staff are happy by and large to relocate within the North West regional area."