From Lockdown to Building Site

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May 14, 2020
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[vc_row type="in_container" full_screen_row_position="middle" column_margin="default" column_direction="default" column_direction_tablet="default" column_direction_phone="default" scene_position="center" text_color="dark" text_align="left" row_border_radius="none" row_border_radius_applies="bg" overlay_strength="0.3" gradient_direction="left_to_right" shape_divider_position="bottom" bg_image_animation="none"][vc_column column_padding="no-extra-padding" column_padding_tablet="inherit" column_padding_phone="inherit" column_padding_position="all" background_color_opacity="1" background_hover_color_opacity="1" column_shadow="none" column_border_radius="none" column_link_target="_self" gradient_direction="left_to_right" overlay_strength="0.3" width="1/1" tablet_width_inherit="default" tablet_text_alignment="default" phone_text_alignment="default" column_border_width="none" column_border_style="solid" bg_image_animation="none"][vc_column_text]The Environment Agency have announced on Twitter that they still intend to start destroying Kendal’s river environment as soon as they can – straight from lockdown to concrete canal this Autumn.

The EA’s Stewart Mounsey posted on Twitter that work will start on the River Kent flood relief scheme in just a few months. Now is the time for local businesses and visitors to the area to object. Simply email Giles Archibald – the leader of South Lakeland District Council - at

g.archibald@southlakeland.gov.uk

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Template for Kendal Businesses

Template for Kendal Visitors


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Why’s it so urgent now?

  • Ecological vandalism: The river’s banks will be walled up and robbed of their trees and wildlife habitats. The ripping out of all Kendal’s beautiful riverside trees is a horrible thought,  especially now that we are all realising just how lovely the walks along the banks of the Kent can be. There’s a profusion of flowers and tree blossom, the bats in the evenings, otters and kingfishers during the day, alternating between the dappled shade of the riverside trees and the sunshine of the green spaces at Sandy Bottoms, a haven for the herons, butterflies and wild flowers. 
  • Loss of business: While fighting for survival in the face of Coronavirus, Kendal’s small businesses will also need to brace for the effect of the EA’s phase one.
  • Road disruption: The removal of the trees will cause a huge amount of disruption to Kendal’s road system, as huge trucks will need to be brought into the centre of town to remove the trees and transport them to whoever has bought the timber presumably.
  • Health and safety: There will be many health and safety concerns with the felling of trees along a main road which will close at least one lane, if not the entire road.
  • Parking: The transport for the contractors will need to be parked somewhere in town too. New Road? Canal Head? County Hall? Dowkers Lane? Wherever they put their vehicles will cause a huge amount of disruption to the people of Kendal, let alone any much-needed visitors to the town.

[/vc_column_text][image_with_animation image_url="2436" animation="Fade In" hover_animation="none" alignment="" border_radius="none" box_shadow="none" image_loading="default" max_width="100%" max_width_mobile="default"][vc_column_text]With tourism so essential to the town, who is going to want to attempt to get into Kendal with all the demolition and construction chaos? In the planning phase, the EA’s answer was to put signs on the M6 and on Kendal by-pass telling people to avoid Kendal due to the expected long delays. South Lakeland District Council is completely silent on this disaster waiting to happen for Kendal’s businesses.

Small businesses in Kendal should be very afraid – and visitors should be just as concerned. It’s time to hold our representatives to account. Write to your councillor now to help Kendal before it’s too late. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]With tourism so essential to the town, who is going to want to attempt to get into Kendal with all the demolition and construction chaos? In the planning phase, the EA’s answer was to put signs on the M6 and on Kendal by-pass telling people to avoid Kendal due to the expected long delays. South Lakeland District Council is completely silent on this disaster waiting to happen for Kendal’s businesses.

Small businesses in Kendal should be very afraid – and visitors should be just as concerned. It’s time to hold our representatives to account. Write to your councillor now to help Kendal before it’s too late. [/vc_column_text][image_with_animation image_url="2435" animation="Fade In" hover_animation="none" alignment="" border_radius="none" box_shadow="none" image_loading="default" max_width="100%" max_width_mobile="default"][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Tagged: Covid19 · ecconomy · Kendal · Lockdown
Comments
DAVID COUSINS
In the Kentmere Valley why not make more efficient use of regulating the water holding capacity of Kentmere reservoir by keeping levels low going into autumn and winter . Instead of building another dam structure down at Kentmere Tarn where a much smaller retention area could also be created the tarn area probably carries nearly as much capacity now as the old lake that was drained in 1800’s because of the dredging of Diatomite in the mid 1900’s .
Meriel Fowler
I’m afraid that the proposed plans would increase the problems of flooding and look hideous. Trees help by absorbing water and stabilising river banks whereas as enclosing rivers and streams in concrete just exacerbates the problems with back flow when rivers are over full. Please think again and do not ruin our beautiful town.
Phil Whiting
We need nature based solutions : ), not concrete : (.
Nora Hunt
Are the planers all mad to completely destroy our wonderful river side for a project that will fail please stop this ridiculous plan now .
Irene Davis
The riverside walks are just amazing and it is the trees and wildlife that make this such a beautiful place to visit and live in.
My husband is in a wheelchair and we love to go into town along the river it gives us great please to be out and into town so many people do this walk and it is a great way of keeping well and fit.
To take these trees out would be criminal and so destructive of an amazing area I am begging you please do not do this.
I cannot believe that there is no alternative to solve this problem which might never happen for another 50 years!!!?
Do not destroy our town you have taken enough away from the people that live here this has to stop.
TRULY DISPICABLE AND ABHORRENT. SURELY, THERE HAS TO BE A DIFFERENT WAY TO SAVE OUR RIVERBANKS, TREES AND THE WILDLIFE THAT MAKE THEIR HOME IN, ON AND ALONG THE RIVER KENT. PLEASE STOP THIS MISMANAGEMENT AND GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND COME UP WITH A FAR BETTER SOLUTION, SOMETHING, THAT DOESN’T DESTROY OUR RIVER, TREES AND THE WILDLIFE THAT MAKE THEIR HOMES HERE.
lynn dent
Don,t do this it will not work. More places flooded away from the river than near it. With all the heavy rain lately the river has been fine no floods.We may as well shut everything as no one will come to town.
Helen
This town is dying on its feet Tim farron if you let this happen you will loose all respect in this town for ever, our River side is beautiful when it’s a lovely summer’s day the wildlife and the trees are lovely, but you go ahead kill our town you won’t solve the problem your only moving it to somewhere else water will find a way to get through no matter what you do.
Catherine Palmer
To whom it may concern,
I can’t believe that there is no other choice for out town than to destroy its beauty.I know that flooding is an issue that cannot be ignored but I find it staggering that we can’t find an environmentally friendly solution, we have so much talent in this country and county ,please reconsider this destruction.
Allan Nelson
Vandals in suits.
Marlene Little
This destruction cannot be justified when Kendal is in desperate need of a positive image to attract visitors and encourage investment. It makes absolutely no sense starting to address the flooding problem down river when nothing has been done upstream to stem the flow. It’s nothing short of vandalism.
Dawn
There’s been many reports saying that this work won’t save Kendal from another Desmond. What will it preserve??? No-one has answered that one.
Clear the rivers upstream of the gravel and debris that has been washed off the fells, replace it where you can, create flood plains, and allow nature to flourish. Not many towns have families of otters, herons and kingfishers living in them.
Please leave Kendals beautiful trees and river walk . I’am a visitor when I’am able to come. My family live in Kendal. At the present time because of lockdown I’am unable to travel. Thank you Janice Smyth.
Paul Gibson
As Allen Collins and Ronnie Van Zant wrote:
“And lord I can’t make any changes
All I can do is write ’em in a song
I can see the concrete slowly creepin’
Lord take me and mine before that comes
‘Cause I can see the concrete slowly creepin’
Lord take me and mine before that comes”
Liz
But will it work?
You will kill a town that’s is now in isolation. If you think it’s dead now you will burying it all together.
Carol Richards
I have sent an email today to Councillor Archibald. Tim Farron will totally lose any respect this town has for him should he allow this
devastation. It is time to learn from our mistakes, being in lockdown has made nature thrive for the better and you can witness that
with any daily walk along that Riverbank where the trees are our lifeline and the smallest of creatures come into town because of their
engagement with nature. This has to be stopped. The mental health and tourism impact it will have if allowed to go ahead, will be alarming.
Terrie grey
Please tim leave the trees alone . The carbon footprint in kendal is huge and will get bigger with all the planning permission that keeps going through theres almost 300 cars from milthorpe road alone please tim they proved their worth with the last couple of storms the river hasn’t flooded once . To the EA hold your head in shame you expect from mp’s but not from people who supposed to look after the UK
Jimmy Beveridge
Solving one problem to creat another problem up stream is no answer. Lot of north side problems have been grown with building on flood plains and egnoring what is in front of them .
In the prophetic words..
You don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone. They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.
If this goes ahead, in years to come it will be realised what folly it was and not a solution. Nature knows best.
The Kendal Bid have already asked for it to be delayed so you are not the only one who is worried
Michael Forrest
Donald Trump may be struggling to build his border wall……Mikhail Gorbachev brought one down ……but Tim Farron Kendal’s local MP is in cahoots with the ironically named Environment Agency will build his wall.
The East and West of Kendal will be separated by Checkpoint Tim on Netherfield Bridge from which you’ll have an uninterrupted view of the once picturesque River Kent and the newly erected concrete walls which will tower over the new concrete banking replacing the 700 mature trees and former habitats of Otters and Kingfishers.
But fear not you may still see the odd salmon leaping through water through the ‘considerate contractors’ style vision panels provided as an afterthought by the local councillors; plus don’t forget to call in at theTown Hall for a limited edition tourist guide on finding the replacement trees.
Great fun for the bored kids who aren’t enthralled by the budding Banksy graffiti.
Sheila smith
Please don’t do this our town is beautiful in spring and summer
Simon
You’re right! The riverbanks are beautiful all year long, and hopefully people now realise this after walking through a quiet townscape to watch the otters, the kingfishers and the bats and enjoy the river.

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