Concern has been raised about the “piecemeal” way in which planning permission is being sought at the site of the former Newton Rigg College, near Penrith, to facilitate the roll-out of super-fast broadband in Cumbria.
One of four retrospective change of use applications submitted by Leo Sawrij Limited came before Westmorland and Furness Council’s Eden local planning committee on Wednesday. Councillors were told that permission was being sought to use a former car park at the site as a storage area, surrounded by a 2.5m high fence, for a period of five years.
Newton Rigg College closed in June, 2021, and was sold in September, 2021, to the current owners, Leo Group and AW Jenkinson.
Planning officer Anthony Foster said: “The site has been operating without the benefit of planning permission and the application is as a result of neighbouring complaints of unsocial working hours and practices.”
There had been a number of complaints relating to noise and activity taking place at the site prior to 7am, including activities which had not been restricted to storage, said Mr Foster.
“These practices include the use of power tools, possibly on the site, and lots of noise being created by people banging or using equipment,” he added.
Information accompanying the planning application said the fenced area was needed to create a secure compound for civil engineering contractor Greyhill, which was working with Viberoptix on the Project Gigabit fibre optic network installation for Cumbria.
In total, there were 12 full-time workers associated with the compound, which was being used to store vans, trailers and construction equipment for the contractor’s work on the broadband roll-out.
Mary Robinson (Ind, Alston and Fellside) said she was “uneasy” about the piecemeal way in which development was progressing at the former Newton Rigg College site, as opposed to there being a proper masterplan in place.
However, a commitment had been made by the owners of the site to work with Westmorland and Furness Council’s local plan team to develop a formal masterplan for the former college campus further down the line, the meeting was told.
Regarding the residential properties which had been affected, Mrs Robinson said: “Having generators running for 24 hours a day is a bit different to having a car park behind you.”
Mr Foster said: “There are a number of other applications, again for temporary permission, which relate to both further areas of open storage and change of use of some of the buildings — all in relation to the roll-out of broadband within Cumbria.”
These include other areas, such as the former tennis courts, to be used for open storage. In addition, there was also an application for a catering van, which, councillors were told, was at first placed behind the residential properties, but that has since moved.
“There are a number of unfortunately pepper potted applications, all of which are for temporary uses across the site,” said Mr Foster.
Planning approval was granted for the compound on condition that its use will be restricted to storage, with no industrial activity of any kind to be undertaken, including the use of generators or plant machinery.
Andrew Watt, chartered planning and development surveyor partner, acting on behalf of the applicant, stated in an accompanying document: “The importance and economic opportunity afforded to Cumbria by Project Gigabit for businesses, households and all others with a base in the county is significant, as is the supporting role being played by Newton Rigg, hosting the main contractor’s Cumbrian business hub.”
