Kate Ashbrook

Another pressure group has thrown its weight behind the campaign to stop a development of luxury holiday homes on the eastern edge of the Lake District.

Natural Retreats, a Manchester-based company, wants to build a £6m complex of 29 timber holiday homes at a 136 ha (336-acre) site in Borrowdale, between the A6 and M6 near Tebay in Cumbria. Now, the Open Spaces Society has joined fellow campaigners the Ramblers’ Association, Friends of the Lake District, Government agency Natural England and the Friends of Eden, Lunesdale and Lakeland Scenery in opposing the plans.

The site falls just outside the Lake District national-park boundary.

Kate Ashbrook, general secretary of the Open Spaces Society, said: “The proposed development would destroy the peace of the beautiful and remote Borrowdale valley, which is enjoyed by walkers, riders and cyclists. The valley is surrounded by access land, where people may roam free enjoying the fine views.

“The holiday complex would be a huge blot on this lovely landscape. Not only would the development itself be intrusive, but the quiet track through the valley would have to be upgraded so that it is suitable for all vehicles: those of residents and visitors, and for delivery and maintenance. The frequent traffic along the route would further destroy the tranquillity of this lovely place.

“The area has already been identified by Natural England, the government’s advisers on national parks, to be of national park quality. Of course if it were already in the Lake District national park, instead of on the other side of the arbitrarily drawn boundary along the A6 road, this development would be unthinkable.

“We have strongly urged Eden District Council to reject this damaging development.”

Natural Retreats has already built a similar development half a kilometre north of the Coast-to-Coast route, west of Richmond in the Yorkshire Dales. Its stated aim is to have holiday villages in or near the 14 national parks.

Their publicity says: “Our vision is clear and simple: to build environmentally friendly, luxury residences, founded on sustainable principles, within or close to all 14 National Parks in the UK by 2011.”

The buildings at Richmond are far from rudimentary log cabins and are pitched at the luxury end of the market. A week-long stay in high season will set you back more than £1,200.

The site in Borrowdale is in an area which is being considered for an extension of the Lake District national park. Early plans were for the gap between the Yorkshire Dales national park, which extends into part of the Howgills on the eastern side of the M6, to be bridged, forming a continuous area of park from the Lake District all the way east to Nidderdale.

Tebay Parish Council has backed Natural Retreats’ plans because they would bring employment to the area.

Borrowdale, not to be confused with its better known namesake south of Keswick, was described by Alfred Wainwright as ‘a lonely and lovely valley’ in his Walks on the Howgill Fells.

• Ms Ashbrook has pointed out that, since the original application was received, it has been amended to a proposal for an initial 10 cabins.