The Strategic Planning Committee was scheduled to meet to discuss planning applications and other related matters. The agenda included consideration of planning applications for a storage and distribution warehouse, and a variation to a condition relating to a residential development.

Land West of Moss End Business Village

A planning application was submitted by W. McClure Ltd for the erection of a new storage and distribution warehouse (use class B8¹) with ancillary office accommodation, associated works and landscaping on land west of Moss End Business Village, Junction 36, Crooklands, LA7 7FP.

The proposed development included:

• A warehouse storage building of 3841sqm incorporating a cold store and ancillary office space
• Vegetable peeling and processing plants
• An operational yard including a maintenance building
• Access to loading bays and turning for LGV's² and HGV's³
• Staff and visitor parking
• Vehicle fuelling/washing and recharging, and waste recycling facilities.

The planning officer's report noted that the proposed development would be a departure from the Local Plan because the site is located within the open countryside. However, the report also noted that the applicant is an existing well-established business operating from three locations within the Westmorland and Furness Council area, and has outgrown the existing sites. The proposal would provide a more central location to their widespread customer base, in an accessible location with good transport links. The report also stated that the relocation of the business would release existing desirable sites within town centre locations for other businesses/uses.

The planning officer's report recommended that planning permission be granted subject to conditions.

Land North of Laurel Gardens, Kendal

The committee was scheduled to consider a planning application for a variation of condition 2 (approved plans) to increase the overall number of homes on the site to 165 (an increase of 8 homes) attached to planning permission SL/2019/0602 (Residential development and associated works and infrastructure) on land north of Laurel Gardens, Kendal, Cumbria, LA9. The applicant was Genesis Homes.

The planning officer's report noted that the site lies within the development limits of Kendal and is an allocated site under policies LA1.3 (allocated sites north of Kendal town centre: North of Laurel Gardens) (197 dwellings) and LA2.2 of the Supplementary Planning Document.

The report stated that the approved scheme for 157 dwellings achieved the technical requirements recommended by the various statutory consultees. Other Policy considerations, including layout, detailed design, highways impact, residential amenity and drainage were all considered acceptable. The viability of the site was such that the affordable homes provision was accepted at 20.38% against the policy requirement of 35%. The application was implemented with the first part of the development (Phase 1) delivering 77 dwellings.

The provision of the affordable housing was secured through the provision of a S106 agreement⁴. The S106 also included a play contribution, an offsite drainage contribution and a travel plan monitoring contribution.

The report stated that this proposal includes a new revised layout for the rest of the development (Phase 2), for 88 dwellings, incorporating the 8 additional residential units. It also includes the provision of 45 affordable homes throughout the scheme, against the approved 32 dwellings. This provides an uplift of affordable housing to 27.27%.

The planning officer's report recommended that planning permission be granted subject to conditions and a variation to the S106 to amend the affordable housing provision.

Other Matters

The committee was also scheduled to consider:

• Apologies for absence
• Membership
• Declarations of interest
• Exclusion of press and public
• Minutes of the previous meeting held on 9 July 2025
• Public participation
• Urgent items