Proposed changes to Keswick’s Conservation Area as part of an appraisal being carried out by the Lake District National Park Authority were outlined at a meeting of the town council.
Rose Lord, the authority’s built environment adviser, said that two years had passed since the council and members of the public were consulted on a conservation area and management plan for Keswick and it had been put on hold because of the COVID pandemic.
She said that since then changes had been made to the proposed conservation area which was to go before the LDNPA committee in early June including the ‘large additions’ of Crow Park and Hope Park. Ms Lord said there was great interest in Crow Park and a public appreciation of access to the lake and historic woodland.
She added that Hope Park was a nice public space with historic interest and both parks had links to philanthropy and providing areas for visitors.
Some Victorian terraces are also to be included along with a 20th century arts and crafts inspired “modern terrace” of properties at Manor Park.
The main car park “at the back of the burbage plots” is to be removed because it is now considered to have very little interest or historical significance where in Medieval times there would have been animals, pig sties and orchards.
Also being removed was an area running up to the roundabout on Borrowdale Road where Castle Head villa, which has been destroyed by fire, once stood. And also being removed is a small area by Greta Bridge which used to be home to some industrial sites that have been removed since the conservation area was drafted.
Mrs Lord attended the meeting to get an official response from the town council to the proposals. It was agreed that the council’s planning committee be given delegated authority to draft a response to the proposals ahead of the LDNPA committee meeting.
