Officials at Keswick Rugby Club are celebrating this week after £1.85m plans to upgrade facilities at Davidson Park were given the go-ahead by the Lake District National Park Authority.
Proposals to demolish the existing clubhouse and squash courts and erect a new elevated clubhouse and create additional car parking facilities were given the nod by the authority on Tuesday. The new building will provide a bar function and viewing space at the ground floor and changing rooms and a gym at the first floor level. Access ramps and steps would link to the car parking areas and the pitches.
The new facilities will benefit the whole town and the elevated clubhouse is a response to recent flooding episodes at the ground that have seen various levels of water, from three foot to one inch, swamp the building causing major clean up exercises.
Club representative Carrick Wharmby said: “With an incredible amount of work and a team of people all working on different aspects of the build we have made fantastic progress.
“With planning permission approved, we continue to raise funds and look towards two critical grants to start the project.”
The Big Build application was supported by Keswick Town Council which said: “We fully support the new clubhouse being built above the floodplain with enhanced facilities to safeguard the long-term future of the club.”
Cumberland Council, as the lead local flood authority, said it had no objection to the proposed development and said it was content that “the applicant has considered the drainage hierarchy and is providing a sustainable system which provides betterment over the existing situation where practicable.”
United Utilities and the Environment Agency had initially considered that the submitted application was “unacceptable” due to a lack of a drainage plan. But later they considered the proposals to be acceptable subject to a condition requiring the development to have an adequate drainage scheme being in place.
There was one letter of support setting out the social and exercise benefits of the club and game to the town and surroundings. It said the existing buildings “are an unattractive hotchpotch and the site needs a comprehensive purpose built facility that meets the needs of the people of Keswick”.
Keswick Swift Group recommended that provision be made within the fabric of the building to accommodate the migrating birds.
The planning officer said he was satisfied that the development proposed is acceptable in terms of its impact on the character and appearance of the area and that it satisfies the requirements of the Local Plan.
“The proposed development would be taller than the existing, but due to the distance from neighbouring properties and their orientation, there should not be any adverse effect as a result of overlooking, overshadowing, overbearing effect or other adverse impacts,” said the officer.
Fundraising for the project continues and anyone wishing to get involved or contribute should visit: https://keswickrugbytrust.org/
