Windermere Gateway Transport Infrastructure Delivery

Welcome to our Windermere Gateway Transport Infrastructure Delivery Supplementary Planning Document (SPD). Our ambition is to secure a transformational gateway for Windermere which sustainably connects to the onward travel network and contributes to the vibrancy of the town by delivering housing and employment opportunities.

This SPD was adopted on the 15 December 2021. On the page below you will find  the content of the SPD. Supporting its adoption are the following documents:

Adoption Statement (pdf)

Windermere Gateway Consultation Responses (pdf)

Click on the image below to enlarge it

The following sections will provide you with information on our proposals, the requirements and implementation and delivery.

• Introduction
• The Vision
• Constraints
• Opportunities
• Supplementary Planning Document Requirements
• Implementation and Delivery
• Supporting technical documents
• Windermere Gateway Transport Infrastructure Delivery Supplementary Planning Document  (PDF copy)

This Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) relates to the gateway to Windermere which includes Windermere Railway Station and Bus Terminus and the surrounding land occupied by Booths and Lakeland and the site at Orrest Head Farm, which is allocated for a mixed use development. Please see figure 2 below. It does not cover areas beyond the red line, including Windermere Town Centre or onward travel.

This SPD provides additional guidance to support:

• Policy 13: “Central and South East Distinctive Area”;
• Policy 14: "Allocations of Land";
• Policy 21: “Sustainable Access and Travel”;
• Allocation CSE01M: “Land at Orrest Head Farm, Windermere” of the Lake District Local Plan; and
• Other relevant national and Local Plan policies.

Contextual information supporting this SPD is provided in the supporting technical documents. Further detail will be provided at the planning application stage for both the access proposals and the mixed use development at Orrest Head Farm.

The primary purpose of the SPD is to ensure a strategic and co-ordinated approach to transport, travel and movement infrastructure provision within the Windermere Gateway area that facilitates the delivery of:

• The enhancement of Windermere Station and its role as a sustainable transport interchange in line with Local Plan policy 13; and
• The development of Orrest Head Farm as a mixed use site for housing, employment and tourism in line Policy 14 and its allocation (Local Plan reference CSE01M).

Contextual information supporting this SPD is provided in the supporting documents. Further detail will be provided at the planning application stage for both the access proposals and the mixed use development at Orrest Head Farm.

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The Vision

The layout of the current vehicular access from the A591 to Windermere Station and the adjacent Booths is inefficient, and the Booths access adds traffic to the existing one way system in Windermere town centre. There are capacity constraints associated with the current junction layout. Pedestrian and cyclist mobility between Orrest Head Farm and the transport hub is also restricted. Movement between Windermere Station and Windermere town centre is also restricted, including to pedestrians and cyclists. This has a negative impact on the sense of arrival into the World Heritage Site.

The vision is therefore to:

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Existing Constraints

In response to the area’s context and characteristics, the following provides a summary of the key constraints presented by the area, as illustrated in the diagrams.

Access and movement

Traffic and movement

The layout of the current vehicular access from the A591 to Windermere Station and the adjacent Booths is inefficient, and Booths store access adds traffic to the existing one way system in Windermere town centre. There are capacity constraints associated with the current junction layout. Pedestrian and cyclist mobility between Orrest Head Farm and the transport hub is also restricted. Movement between Windermere Station and Windermere town centre is also restricted, including to pedestrians and cyclists.

Public transport infrastructure

There is limited existing parking and drop-off at Windermere Station restricting the attraction of rail use, and limited space for buses and taxis. There are constraints accessing and egressing Windermere Station, and lack of canopies on the platform.

Heritage and sense of place

Heritage assets

The Lake District has World Heritage Status, the SPD area is located within and adjoining the Windermere Conservation Area and there are listed buildings within the area and on the adjoining the Orrest Head Farm site.

Public realm at Windermere Station

The existing station lacks a sense of arrival into the World Heritage Site.

Landscape character, flooding and topography

Topography

The SPD area slopes from north to south with the northern portions of the area more visually sensitive due to their elevated position.

Flood risk and drainage

The area is in flood risk zone one however areas of surface water flood risk will need to be mitigated and a resilient sustainable drainage system must be provided for.

Landscape

The landscape character and wider views of Lake Windermere must be safeguarded.

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Opportunities

There is the opportunity to create a new strategic gateway for Windermere, improving the transfer of people form one mode of travel to another at the transport hub at and around Windermere Station and supporting traffic and movement improvements by:

• Improving the circulation of people and transport at Windermere Station with a new access road to the station, Booths and Lakeland;
• Removing some of the traffic accessing Booths from the Windermere’s one way system by accessing Booths’ car park from a new road crossing the railway line;
• Addressing vehicle conflicts and safety issues at A591/High Street and Thwaites lane junctions, and increasing junction capacity, including to help address parking generally in Windermere (such as existing residents near the station) and serve the modal shift to other forms of transport;
• Unlocking the potential for decking at Booths car park to provide additional public car parking capacity;
• Improving Windermere Station facilities, and bus, taxi and drop off provision to support transfer of people to onward travel;
• Prioritising better and more direct walking and cycling links to Windermere town centre from the station and Orrest Head Farm site; and
• Providing additional electric vehicle charging points.

Public transport infrastructure and public realm

This could be improved to create a sense of arrival to improve the experience for visitors and residents, including improved Station facilities and parking to encourage the use of sustainable travel choices.

Lakes Line

Improvements to the Windermere Gateway Area will help to increase the capacity of the Lakes Line, supporting the proposed passing loop.

Design

The area can provide high quality development that reinforces the sense of place and enhances character whilst protecting the setting of the heritage assets.

Drainage

Delivery of a comprehensive surface water drainage strategy which incorporates SUDS.

Local and affordable housing, and employment opportunities

The allocated site at Orrest Head Farm can deliver local needs and local affordable needs housing as well as employment opportunities.

Open space and green infrastructure

There is an opportunity to create open spaces and green infrastructure that will provide safe and functional informal recreation opportunities for existing and local residents and visitors.

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Implementation and delivery

This document puts in place a vision for the Windermere Station gateway for the next five years and beyond. This Supplementary Planning Document is intended to be a strategic guide to the future delivery of transport, travel and movement infrastructure provision within the Windermere Gateway area that facilities the delivery of:

• The enhancement of Windermere Station and its role as a transport interchange in line with Local Plan policy 13; and
• The development of Orrest Head Farm as a mixed use site for housing, employment and tourism in line with its Policy 14 and its allocation (Local Plan reference CSE01M). The highway improvements proposed are linked to bringing this site forward for development. The delivery of these highway improvements, as well as local need and local affordable housing are key public benefits.

Projects and Funding

The Infrastructure Delivery Plan and ongoing project development through the preparation of this Supplementary Planning Document has been used to inform the required projects and funding sources. The next piece of work is to understand in greater detail the costs of each piece of infrastructure.

Timescales and phasing

Windermere Gateway has been developed in an integrated manner, with access, interchange and housing each critical to the success and sustainability of this proposal and the benefits it is intended to unlock for Windermere and surrounding communities. Delivery will also need to be achieved comprehensively with this especially important with respect to the relationship between housing development and wider infrastructure.

Developer contributions and grant funding will be important in respect to the comprehensive delivery of the gateway area. The new housing development must deliver essential enabling and access infrastructure, while working with the Local Planning Authority to establish a clear and deliverable funding strategy for the delivery of the comprehensive scheme, and this would include the exploration of additional grant funding opportunities. The housing development cannot be considered in isolation.

While an approach to phasing is suggested, this relates to indicative delivery timescales and does not remove the need for a comprehensive and integrated approach to securing delivery of the entire proposal.

Phase 1 is estimated as 2022-2025. Phase 2 is estimated as 2025-2029

Partners

We will continue to work with Cumbria County Council, Network Rail, Lakeland, Booths, Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership, Windermere Town Council, South Lakeland District Council, the National Trust and their preferred development partner for the Orrest Head Farm site to deliver the projects to deliver Windermere Station Gateway.

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