Plans to extend lakeside cottage withdrawn

Jonny ManningNorth East and Cumbria
News imageTrevor Littlewood/Geograph Brandlehow Cottage in the Lake District. The white-rendered cottage stands to the left at the end of a short gravel track. A wooden garage is to the right.Trevor Littlewood/Geograph
Plans to demolish part of Brandlehow Cottage have been withdrawn. Image licence

Plans to extend a lakeside cottage have been withdrawn after locals objected to the development.

The owner of Brandlehow Cottage in Keswick had planned to replace a single-storey wing of the detached, white-rendered home with a two-storey extension.

But the designs - which featured large windows overlooking Derwentwater - sparked numerous objections from residents.

Borrowdale Parish Council also called for the plans to be rejected because they were "wholly inappropriate for such a sensitive lakeside site".

"The submitted visuals show extensive areas of glass dominating the lake-facing elevation," it said.

"The building would be highly visible from Derwentwater, Borrowdale Road, and Catbells, and its reflective surfaces would cause significant visual intrusion."

In its objection, the council said the building was classed as a non-designated heritage asset and contributed to the "historic narrative of the former Brandlehow lead mine".

The planning application had been put forward by Jag Chana and a decision was due to be made by the Lake District National Park Authority, but the plans were withdrawn on 29 January.

The building's wooden garage is also home to the popular "Teddy in the Window" attraction, which has become a local landmark for those walking on the Derwentwater lakeshore path.

Borrowdale Parish Council had previously called for the Teddy to remain in the garage, should the development go ahead.

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