The roads minister David Jamieson has agreed that the villages of High and Low Newton, on the A590, need a bypass.

But an environmental group has criticised the decision claiming the bypass would resign the Lake District "to the dustbin".

The scheme will cost �22m, which has yet to be found by the Department for Transport.

Environmental concerns

Mr Jamison said he will give a start date for the work within the next six months.

He added that the landscape would be respected.

"What we have to do... is that we reduce the impact that the road has on the environment.

"There were very important environmental issues to be considered here, but the compelling need for the bypass has been made.

"We generally do not favour new roads in National Parks and areas of environmental sensitivity, but this bypass is a special case."

Pressure group

The plans will now form part of the government's transport programme which has seven years to run.

But Friends of the Lake District said it was "utterly appalled" by the decision.

The group said, the government was relegating the Lake District's landscape to the dustbin.

Jack Ellerby from the pressure group said he did not think what Mr Jamieson has announced will make further development of the route possible.

He said: "We are going to assess the evidence the Secretary of State has used to justify his decision."