Objections Raised Over £10m HGV Access Works Impacting Historic Park

Concerns have emerged regarding proposals to expand a road, aiming to facilitate simpler entry for heavy goods vehicles into a specific town. The Workington Gateway project, a £10 million initiative by Cumberland Council, incorporates proposals to expand the A596 at Hall Brow. This expansion is intended to simplify the transit of large vehicles, particularly those originating from the A66, through the town. However, Workington Town Council has criticized the suggestions to appropriate land from the Grade II listed Hall Park for the purpose of road widening and establishing parking areas. Cumberland Council stated that the undertaking was designed to “enhance safety, accessibility, and overall infrastructure” within the locality. According to the planning documentation, Hall Brow has been identified as a “long-standing pinch point” where larger vehicles, especially HGVs, struggle to pass each other without incident, leading to hold-ups and potential hazards. The documents further noted that vehicles parked outside residences along the section known as Hall Park View contributed to additional delays and impacted pedestrians. It was proposed that seven parking spaces could help alleviate these problems. Workington Town Council formally opposed the proposals, asserting that the sole outcome of the project would be to create parking for residents, rather than to expand the road itself. “It seems from the plan that the actual usable carriageway, after allowing for the creation of the new parking spaces, will be narrower than the existing carriageway width – this is, in effect, a road narrowing scheme.” The council also stated that the plans would entail sacrificing land from Hall Park, which is also referred to locally as Curwen Park. Local residents similarly submitted written objections to the council concerning the proposals. One individual commented that the proposed parking spaces would remain insufficient to resolve the issue, as they would not accommodate the 18 residences situated along that section of the road. “Anyone living there knew when they moved that there would not be parking outside their house, just like thousands of others in the town,” they said. A different resident, who likewise expressed opposition to the plans, highlighted Hall Park’s “very valuable” contribution to the mental and physical well-being of Workington’s inhabitants. “The parkland is important as a green space for all, not a parking space for a small number,” they said. The Workington Gateway project also involves widening the road at the junction located at Ramsay Brow, a site where Henry’s Bar has previously been torn down. Concurrently, a distinct application, forming part of the identical scheme, requests authorization to convert the pedestrian and cycle paths within Hall Park from gravel to a hard surface. A spokesperson for the council commented: “The Workington Gateway project, of which these proposals are a part, represents a significant £33m investment in the town’s regeneration and infrastructure, supported by government funding.” Cumberland Council is expected to render a decision regarding these proposals at a later date.