Campaigners warn holiday park proposals could damage 'sensitive habitat' for rare wildlife in Barrow

Tim Scott went to Roanhead beach to find out why protesters are opposing the new holiday park.

Protesters are looking to end plans to build a new holiday park they say could destroy the unique habitat that supports rare plants and wildlife.

The Save Roanhead campaigners are calling on the Westmorland and Furness Council to reject the proposed plans for the 230-lodge holiday park, which would be built next to Roanhead beach.

The beach is just a few miles north of Barrow-in-Furness, and is the home of a number of rare plants and animals, including the natterjack toad.

Darren Mason, a member of the National Trust, said: "We have between 18 and 25% of the whole of the UK population.

"It’s designated as an important plant area, for its botanical richness and rare habitats."

The beach is thought to be the home of roughly a quarter of the entire UK natterjack toad population.

The ILM Group has submitted proposals for 230 lodges to be built next to the beach, which is estimated to increase the amount of visitors to the area from 80,000 to 270,000 a year.

One local, Kelly Holland, worries the increase in visitors could damage the delicate habitat.

She said: "Thousands of extra guests coming down onto this beach would trample the dunes and all the delicate habitats for the toads, but also for other endangered species and plants."

Lorraine Wall, from Friends of the Lake District, argues that while everyone should be able to enjoy the beach, such a sharp increase in visitors will cause long-lasting damage.

She said: "Of course people want to enjoy this wonderful area, and we wouldn’t want to stop that from happening but as with any sensitive habitat it's about finding that balance and this would tip that balance."

Roanhead beach is visited by roughly 80,000 people a year. If the holiday park is built, it's thought that number could go up to 270,000.

More than 8,000 people have signed a petition calling on the Westmorland and Furness Council to reject the proposal from ILM Group, and a decision is expected in May 2024.

Developers originally wanted to build up to 450 lodges on the site, but after strong pushback from locals ILM Group scaled back their plans.

In a statement, the ILM Group said: "We have been in constructive dialogue with Natural England to ensure that the revised plans are sustainable and sensitive to the local environment.

"The resort will be managed under specific environmental standards with measures in place to ensure that staff, suppliers, and visitors to the resort respect their surroundings."

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