21/9/2004 - South Lakeland gateway project

Cumbria County Council cabinet is to consider providing extra £9,000 funding for more research into the South Lakeland Gateway project.

The county council has already contributed £40k towards the planning and feasibility studies for the project which is one of the major rural regeneration initiatives in the county. 

The partnership of public and private organisations which is developing the plans has asked the county council to make another contribution to help get the scheme to the planning application stage.

The £9,000 requested will help pay for more research including flood risk assessment, archaeological survey and further ecological survey work.

Officers are recommending that cabinet members reaffirm their commitment to the scheme and approve the additional funding at Cabinet on Tuesday, 28 September.

The main aim of the project is to bring together branded farm produce, an auction mart and other rural activities to create a new visitor attraction close to Cumbria’s southern gateway at junction 36 of the M6, connecting consumers with producers and providing a new way of selling agricultural produce. 

The project is being developed by a partnership involving the Rural Regeneration Company and a number of other public and private sector bodies.

Councillor Lawson Short, cabinet member for environmental issues and protection, said: "We have already provided £40,000 for research into this project. The organisers are now asking for some more money to bring the scheme forward to the planning application stage." 

The issue will be discussed at the cabinet meeting starting at 10am in The Kraemer Room, Cumbria County Council offices, The Courts, Carlisle, on Tuesday, 28 September.