PLANS have been submitted to create a memorial garden at a west Cumbrian police training facility.

The project would transform a landscaped area at the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) training facility at Sellafield, near Seascale.

Cumberland Council has received a planning application to change the use of the site, which covers an area of 168 square metres, so that it can be used for the new purpose.

The application site is located within the training facility, to the north of the Sellafield nuclear site, but outwith the Sellafield complex and approximately 2km to the south west of Calder Bridge and the A595.

The wider CNC facility comprises 7.3 hectares of land that was previously used for agriculture.

To the north of the facility is a single residential property owned and occupied by Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) staff, and Grade II Listed Sella Park Country House which operates as a hotel and restaurant.

In a covering letter to the council Matt Verlander, the director of Avison Young and the applicant's agent, he said his firm had recently obtained approval for the change of use of land from a landscaped area to a dog training facility (also located within the wider Civil Nuclear Constabulary training facility).

He added: "The matter of ecology was identified during the determination process. The following justification remains relevant to the proposal site.

"The site itself is comprised of heavily maintained grass/lawn, and therefore does not have notable biodiversity value that needs to be mitigated or compensated for.

"Due to the nature of the site, no ecological interest is evident, therefore an ecological assessment will not be required to accompany the application."

He said the proposal was acceptable in terms of flood risk and he felt the completion of a Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) should not be deemed appropriate in relation to the application.

Key features of the proposed memorial garden would include:

  • Two feature trees in the northern section;
  • Local walling stone (height to raise to 1.5m);
  • Circular stone laid in paving with white CNC engraving;
  • Four hardwood benches;
  • 6m diameter lawn;
  • Hardy perennials and shrubs;
  • Raised circular bed with generous slate coping stone for informal seating raising to 400mm in height with a multi stemmed silver birch tree as the centrepiece;
  • Gravel paths;
  • Double entrance gates;
  • Gravel entrance path edged with recessed timber board;
  • Four feature trees in the southern section of the garden;
  • Post and wire fence (1m height);
  • Beech hedge underplanted with snowdrops (clipped annually to 1.2m height);
  • Natural stone paving in assorted sizes.

Mr Verlander said the garden would front on to existing car parking facilities located within the northern section of the wider CNC facility and added: "The memorial garden will provide a quiet location for members of staff and visitors to visit.

"The proposed development will not create any additional impact that will have a negative impact upon the surrounding area.

"The proposed site continues to be afforded policy support by the adopted Local Plan. Therefore, the proposal should be granted planning permission."