THE developer behind the proposed Roanhead holiday lodge site has defended its Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) after a planning consultee called it 'not fit for purpose.' 

Charity Friends of the Lake District, which campaigns for the preservation of the natural landscape across Cumbria, submitted a letter of objection as one of the consultees on the planning application and also commissioned its own LVIA from Douglas Harman Landscape Planning. 

Developers ILM Group said the methodology behind its LVIA had been applied to a number of successful planning applications. 

Lorayne Wall, planning officer at the FoLD, said: "It clearly concludes that the LVIA does not accurately consider and describe the proposed development in sufficient detail and its findings are majorly flawed. The approach used does not conform to relevant guidance, and with many significant errors, the LVIA cannot be relied upon to provide a robust understanding of likely effects. Therefore, it is not fit for purpose.”

The review argues that the original LVIA provided by ILM Group has a map that assumes a lower maximum building height than the application states, the study area used to assess the visual impact on the surrounding vicinity is too small, the rating of the severity of landscape and visual impacts is understated, and aspects of the methodology not following relevant industry guidance. 

READ MORE: Battle over Roanhead resort intensifies as charities oppose plans

The LVIA by ILM was completed by Enzyzo, a leading UK environmental consultancy that has successfully produced more than 40 LVIAs for holiday parks in the UK.

The work was commissioned by Andrew Coutts, managing director of ILM Group.

Mr Coutts said: ”The methodology used in producing the LVIA - along with every other aspect of our planning submission - has been robust and in consultation with some of the industry’s leading experts.

“The study area of 7.5km was developed in consultation with the local planning authority and was discussed with them at the pre-application, screening and scoping stages.

“The methodology for this LVIA is tried and tested, having been successfully used by Enzygo for a significant number of applications, including holiday parks in coastal locations.

“In terms of comments relating to the severity of landscape and visual impacts, inevitably, the subjectivity of the assessment means that there will be differences of opinion between practitioners.

“From our perspective, we stand by every element of our assessment and methodology and are committed to investing in a development that will create hundreds of jobs and millions of pounds for the local economy.”