Last week's Westmorland planning application decisions

A retrospective application for an electric vehicle charging hub at Burton Services, located on the northbound carriageway of the M6 motorway, was approved with conditions on January 15.

The hub will provide six charging bays, including one oversized bay for easier manoeuvrability, replacing existing parking spaces.

The high-power charging upstands and power cabinets will use the substations, communications, and meter housing from a previous phase of development.

Westmorland and Furness council also gave the green light to a 25-metre chimney stack at the Omega Proteins processing plant in Penrith.

The stack, which has already been installed, will only start operating once an environmental permit variation is agreed and issued by the Environment Agency.

The new chimney stack will vent treated air from a gas-powered oxidiser, which has replaced a 15-year-old plant.

According to the company, the new oxidiser is 10 per cent more fuel-efficient and will serve as a backup to the primary plant.

The plant processes category 3 animal by-products collected from abattoirs, meat processing plants, catering operations, and retail premises across the country, which are turned into various products.

A lawful development certificate for three car charging units at Cartmel Racecourse has also been approved by the council.

The units will serve six car parking spaces.

Listed building consent was also granted for internal and external repairs to The Two Lions, a Grade II listed building in Penrith.

The historic building, which has been vacant for several years, is set to undergo various alterations, including drainage works.

During the application process, conservation officers and Historic England expressed concern about some of the proposed works, particularly in the former stables and original kitchen areas.

A separate listed building application for more substantial works is still under consideration.

The Two Lions, which forms an integral part of the pedestrianised Penrith New Squares development, retains several medieval internal features.

The building was part of a large town centre redevelopment scheme, which also includes a Sainsbury’s supermarket and a new shopping area with flats above.

In each case, the council imposed conditions with the aim of ensuring that the developments proceed in a manner that is sensitive to the needs of the community and the environment.

An archive of planning applications, with details of their validations and decisions, is available on the Westmorland and Furness Council website.