Latest news with #CUMBERLANDCouncil
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Council to meet to consider controversial planning application
CUMBERLAND Council is set to hold a 'special planning committee' meeting next week to consider a controversial planning application. North-west Regeneration is hoping to develop an Energy from Waste (EfW) facility comprising of a Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF) fed Gasification Plant with a 23m high flue stack on land in Rockcliffe and has submitted a revised application. Members of the planning committee are due to meet next Friday (June 20) at the Civic Centre in Carlisle to consider the application for a site on land next to the former Unit D on the Kingmoor Park Rockcliffe Estate. The application requests associated synthetic gas fuelled Combined Heat & Power (CHP) generation engines and other associated ancillary equipment, machinery, plant and development including the formation of new hard-surfaced areas and drainage infrastructure; and the erection of a modular office and welfare block building. It is recommended that full planning permission be granted subject to conditions. It states: 'The estate is situated on the south-eastern outskirts of the small village of Rockcliffe. The proposed gasification plant measures approximately 750m from the southern edge of Rockcliffe village and 1km from the northern end of the village of Cargo. 'It lies approximately 2.4km north-west of the north-western perimeter of the built-up area of Carlisle. The outlier suburb of Crindledyke lies approximately 1.2km east-south-east of the site. Beyond this, the nearest residential area of the city is the Kingmoor/Lowry Hill area which lies at least 2.8km south-east from the site.' According to the report EfW is about taking residual waste, such as waste that cannot be recycled, and recovering value from it by turning it into useable forms of energy. It states: 'The gasification technology proposed by this application heats waste at highly elevated temperatures, greater than 1000°C and generally ranging from 1200°C to 1500°C, in order to convert it into a synthetic gas. This gas is then cleaned and combusted in gas fired engines to generate electricity and heat.' The Environment Agency had no objection subject to imposition of a contaminated land condition. Historic England also had no objection and Natural England also had no objection 'subject to appropriate mitigation being secured'. However, Rockcliffe Parish Council has objected to the application on a wide range of grounds across three responses. The points raised included: A lack of information and insufficient assessment within the application package and a call for an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA); The adverse cumulative impact of this proposal with existing and other proposed waste developments in the area; That the proposal would industrialise the estate and wider area; That the estate has never been designated for industrial commercial processes; Visual impact – consider the development to be too big, too close and insufficiently screened and that it would have an adverse affect on a large area and harm amenity in Rockcliffe village and the surrounding countryside. In addition, they objected to the impact of emissions and discharges and the report states: 'That the plant is potentially toxic, lacks specialist pollution abatement systems and would harm health.' According to the report the application has generated significant public interest. It adds: 'To date 1,218 representations have been received. 'Of these 1,213 are considered to constitute objections, while five provide comments and observations. 775 of the objections take the form of a template letter.' Next Friday's public meeting is due to begin at 10.30am and the application is the only item due for consideration.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Yahoo
New visitor centre planned for west Cumbria
CUMBERLAND Council is hoping to build a new visitor centre for Millom. The plans are for a site on land at Hodbarrow Nature Reserve and they are currently being considered by council planning officers. They include a cafe and shop, a group room, toilet facilities and a car park, as well as the consolidation, repair and installation of an interpretive sculpture to Towsey Hole Windwill. In addition, organisers are hoping to refurbish an existing tern hide, add new bird hides and viewing screens, pathways, gateway features and street furniture. According to a planning report, in September 2019 Millom became one of 101 places invited to work with the Government to propose a Town Deal with up to £25 million in funds available from the wider £3.6 billion Towns Fund. It states: 'In November 2022, Cumberland Council and Millom Town Deal Boards were notified by the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLHUC) that following the submission of Full Business Cases they had been successful in securing £20.6 million for Millom. 'With match funding, this has brought forward investment of over £28.7 million into Millom. Work is now underway to deliver four exciting projects, one of which is The Iron Line.' According to the report Hodbarrow is 'a fantastic place to visit but struggles with a number of practical issues which prevent the reserve from meeting its full potential.' The practical issues include: vandalism; management; no parking; the path network; limited signage; limited furniture; little shelter; and ecological designations. The report states: 'RSPB Hodbarrow is located in close proximity to Millom and Haverigg and accessible on foot from the north via Mainsgate Road and from the east and west using a selection of public rights of way, including the recently established England Coast Path. 'The Iron Line route is formally designated as a Byway Open to All Traffic (BOAT) meaning that the route can be accessed by cars, cyclists, horses and pedestrians. 'Once on the reserve, a network of paths, of varying width and quality enable visitors to explore Hodbarrow. The limitation of the existing path network is that most are poorly surfaced and littered with potholes. 'Added to this is an inconsistency of type, meaning there's a lack of hierarchy, resulting in a navigational challenge. The masterplan proposes to improve the path network so that routes are better defined, solid and level underfoot so that visitors can traverse the site more easily.' According to the report this will comprise: formalising existing desire lines; using boardwalks at certain locations to minimise impact on ecology; and where appropriate, the introduction of fencing to keep visitors on track and away from the most sensitive habitats; and highlighting of important path nodes.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Carlisle's Southern Link Road works ‘progressing well'
CUMBERLAND Council have thanked people for their support and patience while they complete works on Carlisle's Southern Link Road. They announced on social media today (Monday, May 19) that works at the Newby West Roundabout are 'on track' and 'progressing well'. Traffic has now been able to move onto the newly built section and pictures of the progress were shared on social media. Cumberland Council added: 'Our teams have been busy removing the old roundabout, the old signage and lighting in preparation for our earthworks contractor and drainage contractor to start in about a week.' READ MORE: Can you drive any car on comprehensive car insurance? Expert reveals all The Carlisle Southern Link Road will connect Junction 42 of the M6 with the A595 to the west. The route will include bridges over two main railway lines and the Caldew and Petteril rivers, as well as a network of footways and cycleways. Plans to build the five mile, multi-million-pound road were approved in 2020 but construction only began in 2023 due to delays caused by the rising cost of materials. You can keep an eye on the progress via the Carlisle Southern Link Road Facebook page here:
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cumberland Council spent over £15m on agency staff
CUMBERLAND Council spent more than £15 million on agency staff last year but the authority is taking steps to try and reduce that figure. The issue was raised during Tuesday's (April 29) meeting of the council, at the Civic Centre in Carlisle councillor Chris Wills (Upperby, Lib Dems) asked a question of one of the members of the executive. Cllr Wills asked: 'In 2024 Cumberland Council spent over £15 million on employing agency staff. 'Whilst much of this money was spent on ensuring essential services, expenditure of over one million pounds a month on agency staff is unsustainable for a local authority. 'Please can cllr Cannon, the portfolio holder for financial planning and assets, explain the plan for significantly reducing this level of spend?' Councillor Barbara Cannon (St Michaels, Labour) said it had been discussed within the authority 'for quite some time' and the use of agency staff sometimes covered roles which were traditionally hard to recruit. She said they used a range of measures including targeted media adverts as well as Google search adverts to recruit more staff. Cllr Cannon said that a number of newly qualified social workers had started at the council and agency use was also linked with sickness absence. She said there were regular meetings with HR staff and there were return to work interviews to try to ensure absences did not recur. She added: 'The aim is to minimise reliance on agency staff.'
