Luge Track and Chair Lift Proposal in the Eden Valley

Update 31 January 2023: Armathwaite Luge track and chairlift proposal

Over 20 documents forming part of the application for a luge track and chair lift near Armathwaite in the Eden Valley have been replaced with revised versions.

The revised documents mainly seek to fill information gaps previously present in the planning application, such as in relation to biodiversity, drainage, flood risk and noise levels. The new information does not change our position on the proposals. Still proposed is parking for over 100 cars, a new access road stretching up the hillside and a large, heavily glazed operations building, as well as the luge track and chair lift structures. All on a prominent sandstone ridge in a rural area adjacent open access land and County Wildlife Site. The proposal is in direct conflict with Eden’s local plan policies about development in the open countryside.

We would urge anyone who shares our concerns to let Eden District Council know that this new information does not alter the significant impact this proposal will have on the rural character of the landscape or on nearby communities.

You can view the plans by searching using reference 21/0783 here https://plansearch.eden.gov.uk/fastweb/ You can express your views by emailing [email protected]

Thursday 11th November 2021

'Protect Eden' has created an online petition 'Save Blaze Fell' asking people to sign up and say 'NO to the Luge Development on Blaze Fell'. Click the Change.org link below to view the petition: www.change.org/p/eden-district-council-save-blaze-fell-from-development (link opens in a new tab)

Friday 15th October 2021

We have now submitted our response to this application Ref:
21/0783 LUGE TRACK, CHAIRLIFT, OPERATIONS BUILDING, CAR-PARKING AND LANDSCAPING, LAND AT BLAZE FELL NORD VUE, ARMATHWAITE PENRITH CA4 9TN

We'd like to thank all of you who have taken the time to submit your own comments about this planning application. Details on how to submit comment on this application are available below so please do consider contacting Eden District Council if you would like your voice heard.

View / download our full response and our argument setting out why we feel that this application should be refused (pdf).
blazefellluge210783Response.pdf

Thursday 30th September 2021

Friends of the Lake District is supporting concerned members of the local community to challenge a proposal for a luge track, chair lift and associated buildings on Blaze Fell near Armathwaite in the beautiful Eden Valley.

Blaze Fell is part of a sandstone ridge in open countryside and the site is immediately adjacent a County Wildlife Site and open access land. The proposal would have a significant impact on views and the character of the landscape in the area. We’re also concerned about the sustainability of the location – the developer anticipates that 80% of visitors will arrive at the attraction by car.

We attended a packed public meeting on Wednesday 29^th September, where many questions were asked of the applicants by local residents and Parish Councillors. Whilst we were pleased to hear that there are no plans to operate the site in the hours of darkness, reducing potential light pollution concerns, significant concerns remain about impacts on the local landscape, wildlife, traffic generation and the principle of this sort of development taking place in open countryside, contrary to Eden District Council’s planning policies. We will be submitting our response to the application during the coming weeks.

If you’d like to view the application you can do so here by entering reference number 21/0783 and you can comment by emailing Eden District Council on [email protected] (being sure to state the reference number). Your response will carry most weight if you can explain whether you consider the proposal meets relevant local plan policies such as LS1 (‘Other rural areas’ section), EC4 (‘large scale tourism development’ section), ENV1, ENV2, ENV5 and DEV3. The local plan can be found here.

If you do comment, we would really appreciate your letting us know that you have done so and what comments you made by emailing [email protected]

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