A high-pressure Gas Pipeline routes straight through the Beacon Garden Villages.

In this episode of Twaddle a KPS group-member, alerted to the issue by a CW Herlad readers letter, investigated this potential hazardous oversight in the Masterplan.  As you can see from the map above the ‘high pressure gas pipeline’, which carries much of the gas for the whole of the U.K. down it’s pipe,  routes straight through the majority of the Beacon Garden Villages. It runs parallel to the proposed Northern Relief road for much of the way, is under the proposed industrial site by Junction 41, by Stagstones Farm it becomes even more interesting as it has the new spine road above it and is beside the proposed new secondary school. Half an hour of googling gives anyone a good idea of what a problem this is but page 75 of the LUC Technical Appraisal pays little regard to this issue.

We have been told, that even at this stage, EDC are still waiting to hear from British Gas about how the pipeline might affect the Masterplan. They may be waiting some time as the pipeline is controlled by National Grid, not British Gas! Continue reading “A Bit of an Oversight?” →

Twaddle #6  – Retreat or Tactic?

A Tactical Retreat by EDC or Victory for Keep Penrith Special ( KPS) ?

We are about to enter the most dangerous phase of our campaign against the woeful Masterplan.

It seems we may have won. But we at KPS don’t think the campaign is won. We have read the small print.

Continue reading “A Tactical Retreat by EDC or Victory for Keep Penrith Special ( KPS) ?” →

The Claim:

EDC states that it will “seek a minimum of 30% affordable housing on all new developments”.

The Reality:

However, the ‘Technical Document’ states “there is provision for this (30% affordable housing) to be reduced… where it can be demonstrated that application of the policy will render any housing scheme unviable”. Continue reading “Twaddle #5 -Affordable Housing Claims Unpacked.” →

THE NEW ENGLISH DICTIONARY (EDEN DISTRICT EDITION 2018) Definitions.

ENGAGEMENT: A Consultation where EDC present things in a biased way and try to evade the law on fairness and balance.

MASTERPLAN: A Document designed to sell the idea of building on and behind the Beacon to the population of the District, full of ludicrous assertions like bringing 7000 jobs when EDC can’t even empty the bins, or building on the Beacon is the best way to protect it, or that building a new town with it’s own shops and facilities above Penrith will bring more trade to Penrith and mean less congestion to roads in the area.

LOW DENSITY DEVELOPMENT: Whatever Lowther want to build on the Beacon Continue reading “WHAT DO THEY MEAN? THE NEW ENGLISH DICTIONARY (EDEN DISTRICT EDITION 2018) SHOULD HELP YOU WORK IT OUT.” →

Population Growth in Eden and Penrith

Will dualling the A66 and unsubstantiated economic development increase the population of Penrith to 2050 by 85% compared with the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) projections?

Claims

The Eden Local Plan (2014 to 2032) and Penrith Masterplan figures:

Population

Eden             2014             52000 (approx)

2032             57400  (end of Local Plan)

2052             71000  (19000 increase)

Penrith           2014             15800 (approx)

2032             18000

2052             27600 (assumes growth in Penrith is 75% of Eden)

Households

Eden             2014             23000 (approx)

2032             27000

2052             32000 (9000 increase)

Penrith          Increase by 6600 from 2014 to 2052

 

The Penrith Masterplan preferred option assumption is that Eden’s population will have an unprecedented high growth fast rate for a sustained period from 2032 Continue reading “Twaddle #3: Population growth figures unpicked” →

Reality checks on Master Plan claims

Reality check #1: The proposed new nuclear facility at Moorside won’t have important implications for Penrith.

written for Keep Penrith Special by a former senior executive in the nuclear industry in Sellafield.

The Claim

‘There are a number of major development opportunities that are planned to occur outside Eden that could have important implications for Penrith. In particular these include.

The proposed new nuclear facility at Moorside would employ several thousand staff at the peak of construction. Some of these people could potentially live in Penrith’.

The Reality

 

Sellafield is the major employer in West Cumbria, supported by a large supply chain network mostly located within 20 miles of the site. The major activity at Sellafield for the past few decades has been nuclear reprocessing and this is due to cease in 2020. The site will undergo decommissioning for a number of decades employing a major workforce which is likely to decline over the coming years.

The Moorside nuclear power plant will be located just north of the Sellafield Site, 10 miles south of Whitehaven. Construction and engineering workers would be employed over a 5-10 year period on the site and when operational around 1000 full time jobs would be created. Moorside is owned by Nugen, a UK subsidiary of Toshiba and there is currently uncertainty over the future of the project. Should the project proceed Nugen have plans developed to build temporary accommodation in the local area for all the contractors and to provide infrastructure to facilitate the transport of workers.

There are no plans to locate any construction staff more than 10 miles from the site and it is inconceivable that staff would be housed in Penrith.

Say No to the Master Plan – sign here: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/keep-penrith-special-reject-the-penrith-masterplan