Published at 10:36, Sunday, 11 January 2015

An Ulverston community-run park says there has been an “overwhelmingly positive” reaction to its plans to build houses to clear hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of debt

Ford Park Community Group in Ulverston hopes to rescue its finances by selling 0.43 hectares of its land to a housing developer.

An artist’s impression of how the new homes will look have been revealed after formal plans were submitted to South Lakeland District Council’s planning department.

The eight homes will consist of four three-bedroom and four five-bedroom properties, two of which will be bungalows.

The application has received many letters of support from neighbours and residents from elsewhere in Ulverston.

Nearby St Mary’s Hospice works closely with the park to give people with terminal illnesses and the recently bereaved the opportunity to volunteer as gardeners.

The charity’s chief executive Val Stangoe said: “In our experience the work done by Ford Park is invaluable to the well-being of many people in the Ulverston area.

“We would fully support the development proposed in order that the charity is able to pay its debts and continue to work as a community asset.”

Alison Alger, chief executive officer of Ford Park said: “Opinion is overwhelmingly positive even from those who live very close.

“I spent hours last night knocking on doors and speaking to people nearby and a lot of people seem to be supportive of it.”

Mrs Alger has previously stated that the development won’t affect the park’s ability to host regular events such as Ulverston Carnival and the Lantern Festival.

But not all feedback on the proposed development has been positive.

In a response to the application, one neighbour has lodged a 21-point objection to the plans.

The neighbour said: “Ford Park is the most significant open space left in Ulverston, the proposal would remove existing open space provision if developed.”

Ford Park Community Group’s debts stand at £750,000 prompting fears that parkland could be handed to creditors in the event that the loans cannot be paid.

It is hoped the houses, which the group has pledged will be the only development in the park, would help make the charity financially viable in the long term.

Any agreement with developers to build the eight houses would include a package deal to take over Ford Park House which has been up for sale for more than a year.

The Grade-II listed building has attracted a best offer of only £214,000 despite an asking price of £395,000.

Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk

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