Burneside, South Lakeland
Landowners James Cropper plc, Ellergreen Estate and The Anglers Inn Trust are co-operating on proposals to invest in the long-term, sustainable, mixed-use development of Burneside village, 2 miles north of Kendal in South Lakeland with its own station on the Oxenholme to Windermere railway.
James Cropper plc (“JC plc”) is a public company chaired by Mark Cropper manufacturing speciality paper products and advanced materials based in its Burneside Mill. Ellergreen Estate, a Cropper family trust, owns various residential, agricultural and commercial property in and around Burneside, including a 72-unit housing allocation adopted by South Lakeland District Council in 2013 adjacent to Burneside's Hall Park Estate. The Anglers Inn Trust, a registered charity, owns various community assets in and around Burneside, including playground, football pitches, and tennis courts. This land includes a 20-unit housing allocation adopted by South Lakeland District Council in 2013 on the A H Willink Recreation ground.
The competition site is approx. 1ha comprising Willink Recreation Ground, owned by the Anglers Inn Trust and adjacent Hesleyholme owned by Ellergreen Estate.
It is the aspiration of the Client that Burneside is transformed into a world-class village for the benefit of the whole community. The village has suffered from under investment and little care. Despite its beauty and some excellent amenities Burneside is overlooked. The stakeholders all recognise the poor ‘sense of place’ and low pride in the village.
Burneside village forms part of a journey along the River Kent valley from Kendal to Staveley through beautiful Cumbrian landscape. An “Action for Communities in Rural England” Report issued in 2013 paints a picture of a broadly average community with slightly below average affluence (6th out of 10 deciles of deprivation) and slightly greater than average travel distance to important community resources such as doctors' surgeries, pharmacies, supermarkets and schools.
Burneside's history is strongly connected to the River Kent and the development of water-powered mills along the river's course, including wool and cotton mills. Burneside Hall dates back to the 13th century, and there were already mills in the area at this time. A paper mill was built at Cowan Head in the early 1750's and the Burneside Mills site converted to paper in the 1830's. James Cropper bought both mills in 1845. The opening of the railway line in 1847 allowed the Mill to grow nationally and sustain a growing community around it over the next century.
The village underwent significant growth in the post-war years with the development of the Hall Park and Chapelfield estates. The Parish currently sustains a population of around 1800 people in 850 homes, with a slightly higher than average concentration of social housing. The Mill employs approximately 500 people, but less than 10% choose to live in the village, a huge decline from the past. The village is connected to Kendal, Staveley and onwards toward Windemere, by rail. However, it is a limited and infrequent service that doesn't easily facilitate use for commuting. Likewise, a limited bus service operates between Burneside and Kendal. HGVs servicing the mill use the Hollins Lane route West to East from the A591 and there is a lesser used 'rat-run' extending from the village to the A6 in the East. Hollins Lane is the way the majority of road users' approach Burneside. Burneside is listed as a stopping point on the Dales Way long distance walking route, however, the path itself skirts around the village.
The community benefits from several key amenities, including the village pub, shops, primary school, fish and chip shop, Bryce Institute (meeting and events space) and sports clubs including tennis, football, cricket and bowling. However, some facilities are suffering from under-investment and under-utilization due to the small population and no single place provides a focal point for the village. Many of the village's historic buildings are good examples of local vernacular architecture, using local materials and techniques to maximum benefit, however the majority of the housing stock is more contemporary and of lower quality.
The Clients believe this project will become the exemplar 21st-Century village regeneration scheme meeting the needs of the wider Kendal and South Lakes housing market, in particular addressing the mid-market price range, and finding opportunities for innovative community-led involvement to maximise regeneration impact.
A rectangular site in the “North-Central” part of the village, bordered to the West by the railway line and to the East by the main North-South vehicular route through the village. Development size: around 40 new homes.
The primary purpose of the competition for this site is to create a housing typology that will help attract a younger generation (target age 25 – 40) to live within the village and help develop its economic and community strength. Key to this proposition will be:
The regeneration specialist igloo is managing the project on behalf of the Clients and igloo's sustainable investment approach to development – Footprint® – is to be used to inform the designs submitted for the Burneside Competition Site. Footprint® helps to deliver environmentally and socially responsible development outcomes for igloo's investors, occupiers and the local community. Detailed guidance across four themes – Design, Sustainability, Regeneration, and Health Happiness & Wellbeing.
Given the larger size of Site 2, particular attention should be made to the placemaking opportunities created by the development proposals and how these respond to the needs of the target age 25 – 40. An indication of the challenges facing these groups in the GPL&D area is available:
Should you wish to submit an entry for more than one site please ensure you obtain a URN and Declaration Form for each entry.
