Nearly a month has passed since I went to view the plans Sainsburys had for Kendal Cricket Club's current ground. Looking at the plans I was more disappointed as the lack of consideration for how to deal with increased traffic that the development would create to an area that already has a big effect on Kendal's traffic.
Looking at the plans they want to add a set of traffic lights on Shap Road - yes more sets of lights for Kendal. It reminds me of Tesco at Carnforth which has a similar set of traffic lights on a busy A6 road, try to go through it once and you'll know to avoid the area next time round. For Kendal it'll be even worst as we also have the Appleby Rd junction, usually you can filter of Shap Rd but I can see this set of lights creating a new bottle neck for traffic coming from town.
Also as this end of town in the coming years we will getting more traffic, today I found out that the
group that own Kendal Auction Mart will in the next two weeks announce formally plans to build a new auction mart on a 24 acre site near the M6 junction 36 between Moss End Lane business park and the Lancaster Canal. As part of the deal (subject to planning permission) the land on Appleby Rd will be given over to the developer for house builds in return for some land at the new site and the developer also building the new auction mart. The developer plans to submit planning applications for both sites in early 2011. The original application for a new auction mart was turned down and the developer withdrew the housing application I assume as a result of the turning down of the mart application.
Getting back on topic above is an drawing on the proposed store, looks like a clone of national stores, doesn't look like it's been adapted to take account of the buildings in Kendal
The Sports Village doesn't appeal to me, It struck me that all the facilities are mainly aimed at the cricket club rather than across all sports on the site, which indicates that the design is intended to persuade Kendal Cricket Club to move rather than for the good of the local sporting community. The site is on a flood plain, locals know how much water hit the site every couple of years (becoming more frequent), this drags dead bury on to the site that needs cleaning up. There have been a couple of letters in the Gazette relating to flooding in this area, one putting over the point for the flood problems and another countering the flooding issue point mentions something I wasn't aware of. In the consultation document it implies that the site will be flood protected which I took to be fully protected, turns out only the cricket ground and some of the pitches will get the flood protection. The majority of the site with just get drainage, a clean up will still be needed when it floods.
I'm disappointed that the village doesn't capture for any popular outdoor activities, walking, mountain biking, climbing etc... Nearby is Kendal's climbing centre, it would of been good to have some small boulders for boulder climbing on.
Lastly I found this 1898 of Kendal with the Cricket ground labeled - start of 110 years of cricket history.
2 comments:
No more traffic please, it never stops coming down windermere road and really drives me nuts, as there is no quiet at most times of the day time any more. It really is stressful :(
I think someone needs to get this traffic light system sorted as it’s just no good.
Hi Dave, can I speak to you about this development? I know Sainsbury's moved on to the Rugby Club when the Cricket Club would have none of it but what's happening over this 'Sports Village'? Is it really a 'sports village'? I only ask because it seems Sainsbury's are doing this a lot. They find a struggling sports club, that needs refurbishing or is strapped for cash, then offers to buy them out, perhaps to allow them to move off site to build new club or find a club next to land that can con the council into selling to them, perhaps prized for them by a 3rd party with a promise to the council by way of a pay off to either refurb the old club or to build a 'sports village'. Seems they've done the same elsewhere as they did with you guys in Kendal. Trouble is they're taking valuable amenities away from communities in the process. It seems they've found a way to buy land in places where perhaps it would be very difficult for them to otherwise, by buying out struggling sports clubs such as cricket clubs, rugby clubs, football clubs, etc. I'm not a journalist. I suspect it may be happening near us too. Research shows me they've done this before, too many times for it to be coincidence.
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