5:49pm Wednesday 3rd March 2010
By Ian Boydon
AMBITIOUS plans to relocate Kendal Rugby Club to the opposite end of the town have been scuppered by a Government planning inspector.
The club had been hoping to move to a site on Oxenholme Road - this would have been financed by the redevelopment of the club’s existing ground, in Shap Road, into a supermarket and non-food retail warehousing with 420 car parking spaces.
Although the Oxenholme Road portion of the scheme was granted by South Lakeland District Council planning chiefs, they rejected the development of the Shap Road site into a retail complex.
George Baird, Government Planning Inspector, has dismissed an appeal by the applicant Morbaine Ltd - property developers - based on adverse affects on traffic flows.
“Kendal has an acknowledged and serious problem with congestion,” he said. “In particular, the Station Road, Longpool roundabout junction... operates at or above capacity.
“The proposed development, while it would result in reductions on traffic flows elsewhere in the town centre, would result in a material increase in the amount of traffic using this junction. This would unacceptably exacerbate the problem of congestion and adversely affect the free flow of traffic.”
He added: “Concerns relate to the potential loss of the mixed use element and the adverse impact on local character.”
Although the inspector acknowledged that the Rugby Club’s current facilities are “dated” and the move would be of benefit both to the club and the community, he said the adverse affect to traffic outweighed any benefit from the club’s relocation.
No one was available to comment from Kendal Rugby Club at the time The Westmorland Gazette went to press.
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