Armathwaite villagers have pleaded with developers to reconsider plans to create a major tourist attraction luge track on Blaze Fell.
Last week it was revealed that a planning application has been lodged with Eden District Council by Askham Hall owner Charles Lowther and Ullswater’s Quiet Site owner Daniel Holder.
The businessmen are seeking change of use of land for part of Mr Lowther’s Nord Vue Farm near Armathwaite to develop a 500m concrete luge track with electric chair lift and associated building with refreshments area and large balcony viewing platform.
The luge track is being hailed as the first of its kind in Europe and sees gravity powered sledge-like carts run down a purpose built track.
The proposals follow groundwork recently starting at Nord Vue to create a 20-lodge holiday park — something to which a group of local residents had also objected and lobbied to have the number of lodges reduced.
In response to villagers becoming aware of the planning application, a public meeting was held at Armathwaite village hall where Mr Lowther and Mr Holder faced objectors.
Villagers raised a barage of objections to the luge plan, including over its location, ecological impact, noise and transport.
Residents claimed Armathwaite is already often inundated with visitors, which causes parking problems, and said their village does not have the infrastructure to cope with the extra visitors the attraction would bring.
Mr Holder had said the maximum capacity would be 120 luge track runs per hour but reaching this figure would be very rare and controlled through online booking.
He added that the level of engagement Armathwaite has with the attraction would be in the hands of residents.
He said it could potentially give a boost to village businesses such as the pubs and shop — for example with a “luge and lunch” developed with one of the pubs.
Alternatively a “strict left turn only” sign could be erected at the exit of Nord Vue, directing traffic straight back to the A6.
Relating to transport, Mr Holder said the attraction would be a carbon neutral facility with goals to have 20 per cent of customers using public transport to arrive — rising to 50 per cent by 2030.
The suggestion that a shuttle bus service could be run from Armathwaite railway station was met with claims that the road to the station is unsuitable for extra traffic.
One resident applauded when he said: “Your venue looks like it will be phenomenal, it would be even better if it was somewhere else.” This echoed a number of requests for the developers to consider other sites for the attraction, including Lowther Castle.
Mr Lowther came under fire from residents who said he had previously given assurances that, other than the lodges, Nord Vue would not be further commercialised.
In response he said Nord Vue had always struggled and, with farming subsidies changing over the coming years a new income stream was needed.
An existing equestrian business at the site will remain although there will be fewer events and it will run as a compact livery yard.
During the meeting, Mr Holder claimed the visual impact of the track would be very low level. It would be screened by woodland while the building and car parking on the top of the fell would be “virtually invisible” on the flat fell top surrounded by woodland.
In answer to calls from residents for more information on the facilities’ green credentials, the developers will be providing data and information to Hesket ward Eden district councillor David Ryland to circulate.
Also in attendance were district councillors Elaine Martin and Gordon Nicolson, who chaired the meeting.
As a result of the points raised at the meeting, Mr Nicolson is to call for an extension on the planning consultation period and ask for it to go before Eden Council’s planning committee for consideration, rather than being decided by officers under delegated powers.
Mr Holder said following the meeting that although they will continue to try to engage with the local community, their plans will continue to move forward. He added: “There’s a lot of appetite for information, and you are damned if you give out information beforehand, and damned if you don’t.
“This meeting was to listen to what people have to say and we have a lot of things to consider. Fundamentally this is a really clean, good fun activity and will certainly bring lots of benefits to the area.”
