Westmorland and Furness Council's Cabinet agreed today (July 15) to finalise an agreement with Homes England to receive Brownfield, Infrastructure and Land Funding of £9.95 million for Windermere Gateway, to deliver the highways works crucial to the project's success.
Cabinet members also agreed to commit £2.5m of Affordable Housing Funding towards the scheme at Orrest Head Farm to deliver a level of affordable homes that would not otherwise be possible given the inherent viability challenges associated with the scheme.
Windermere Gateway represents the most significant housing allocation inside the National Park and will represent the greatest opportunity for the council to see affordable homes delivered at this scale.
Members said that there was a critical need for much-needed affordable, quality housing in the Lake District, and Windermere area specifically, so that young people and local families could build a life here.
Councillor Jonathan Brook, Leader of Westmorland and Furness Council, said: "Windermere Gateway is a long-term vision involving a dedicated group of partners dedicated to securing a vibrant, sustainable future for Windermere. It is not just about immediate changes but more importantly about building a prosperous and sustainable future for Windermere and its community, both for now and for generations to come.
"It is a complex project, with many interdependent parts, and I am delighted to be able to agree in principle the grant from Homes England to enable us to carry out the highways works, which will pave the way for a significant number of affordable homes in one of the most unaffordable areas of Westmorland and Furness, particularly impacted by second homes and short-term holiday accommodation, which puts further strain on housing provision for local residents.
“Our decision to grant £2.5 million from the council's Affordable Housing Fund reflects our commitment to increase affordable housing in this area, and I am pleased that we are in the position to be able to support the project."
The planning permission for the highways work was approved by the Lake District National Park Authority development control committee in November last year. This work is necessary to enable the housing development of approximately 242 high-quality new homes which would all be made available for permanent occupancy (ie. not second homes or holiday lets).
It is currently proposed that a minimum of 133 will be affordable (subject to planning consent and receipt of funding). The site is allocated in the Lake District National Parks (LDNPA) Local Plan for housing and employment.
The highways work will open up the land for housing. It includes access to the site, visibility and safety measures, surface material changes to better highlight the presence of the junction and encourage drivers to reduce speed and pedestrian and cyclist priority.
The Windermere Gateway Project is a partnership between the landowner National Trust, the Lake District National Park Authority, Westmorland and Furness Council and housing developer Urban Splash, Windermere Gateway's broader long-term vision is to unlock opportunities for a mix of new, much-needed homes, jobs, sustainable transport connections and a much-improved welcome for residents and visitors alike.
The land is owned by the National Trust, who selected Urban Splash as their development partner for the site through a competitive procurement process. Urban Splash would work with a registered social housing provider to bring forward the affordable homes, while details of housing numbers, mix, type and tenure are all still subject to further development.
An outline planning application for the housing development is due to be submitted by Urban Splash later this year. If the planning application for the housing development is not granted, then the Homes England funded highways works will not proceed.
Click here to find out more about Windermere Gateway.
Click here to sign up for updates about the Windermere Gateway project. Just enter your email address and tick the box marked "Windermere Gateway".