A DISPUTE is raging over the degree to which a proposed concrete plant would add to traffic problems on the A590, following an intervention from one of south Cumbria’s leading business brains.

Harry Knowles, former chief executive of Furness Enterprise, has written to Highways England to urge officers to rethink a decision not to object to the plan to build a batching plant with two 12-metre silos on Ore Mill Sidings in Lindal.

It comes after the applicant, L&W Wilson, submitted a document to South Lakeland District Council addressing points raised in formal objections lodged so far.

The document read: “The access to and from the trunk roads to accommodate right-turning traffic has been developed with Highways England which has no objections to the proposals.”

But Mr Knowles believes the government-owned body has failed to recognise the plant is out of step with the A590’s route management plan, developed in 2012 to examine the future of the road.

He said: “The proposed plant at Lindal, in a section of the A590 already seen as inadequate and close to, if not exceeding its capacity limits, with slow moving HGV movements would cause an increase in congestion particularly at peak times.

“This congestion would be increased by the impact of existing traffic lights, pedestrian crossings and flooding. In addition there will inevitably be considerable disruption during the construction phase including junction improvements, indeed based on experience we will see major traffic jams completely contrary to the objectives of journey time reliability.

“My concern is that Highways England is not looking at the cumulative impact of proposed developments as clearly agreed in the Route Management Strategy. Instead it is dealing with each development in a discrete manner, more along the lines of road engineering than route management.”

Campaigners have welcomed the intervention as it continues to garner support for the fight against the plant.

Lindal and Marton Parish Council is to host a meeting on Wednesday to discuss amended plans for a reduction in size of the silos and L&W Wilson’s latest bid to mitigate concerns over traffic and others such as noise, accidents, environmental impact and expansion.

Jack Smith, clerk to Lindal and Marton Parish Council, said: “We know from past experience that any incident of any kind on that stretch of road can cause mayhem for hours at a time. The road is getting busier, and it beggars belief that they are saying this is not going to have a huge impact.

“This is the wrong place and the wrong development. It’s not a case of not in my backyard, this has the potential to affect everyone who uses that main route.”

L&W Wilson, based in Endmoor, said it had no further comment to make at this time.

South Lakeland District Council said it does not comment on ongoing planning proposals.

A spokesman for the local authority told the Evening Mail: “No timetable has been set for a decision to allow as many people to have their say as possible.”

- Lindal and Marton Parish Council is holding a meeting on the issue on Wednesday February 22 in the Buccleuch Hall, Lindal at 7.30 pm