An alternative site for Brough Hill Fair is being investigated as National Highways looks to finalise its plans for the A66 to become a full dual carriageway from Scotch Corner to Penrith as part of a £1 billion investment.
Consultation events have been taking place about the Brough Hill Fair proposal and those who want to have a say have until Sunday to make their views known.
Mary Clare Martin, who is part of the Broomrigg to Langrigg campaign group, and David Keetley, chairman of Warcop Parish Council, are pushing for the new dual carriageway to go north of the current A66.
“Campaigners are very concerned that National Highways are introducing these new consultations with very short deadlines, often with only a few people informed,” said Mary.
She said there would be no need for the Brough Hill Fair site to move if the new dual carriageway route took the “northern route” for which they were campaigning.
In its consultation document, National Highways said Brough Hill Fair has a history which goes back centuries and is culturally important to the gypsy community. The fair started in the 1300s and has been held almost every year since, for four days at the end of September.
A spokesman said: “It was originally held in Brough itself, but in the mid to late 1600s relocated to Brough Hill to the north east of Warcop and north of the A66.
Development of the MoD estate around Brough Hill meant the fair was moved again in 1947 to the present field alongside the A66. Brough Hill was once one of the biggest horse fairs in the country but numbers attending the fair have dwindled in recent years due to a variety of reasons including, most recently, the COVID pandemic.
“Our plans for the widening of the A66 at this location mean that we require part of the existing field currently used for the fair. We have been working with representatives of the gypsy and traveller communities and local landowners to explore options for the relocation of the annual fair.”
At its consultation in autumn, last year, the proposal was to move Brough Hill Fair to a site currently used by the MoD as a camping site and training area.
However, consultation feedback explained that the proposed MoD site has challenging land levels, is close to other residential properties and near to the A66.
As a result of former land uses on this site, it may also require further work.
“We are therefore considering whether an alternative site might be more suitable. This site is to the south of the A66, approximately 1.6 miles east from the current site.
“This site has an access from Musgrave Lane which would allow access for horses and horse-drawn vehicles. It would also allow users of the site to park their caravans further from the road.”
Last autumn National Highways spent six weeks talking to communities, drivers and businesses who use the vital route about the proposal. More than 1,200 people and organisations gave their thoughts, while over 1,500 attended a series of public information events.
The responses are helping to shape the final design and inform National Highways’ application for a Development Consent Order (DCO) in May which, if successful, will pave the way for the scheme to go ahead.
