By Julian Whittle

Last updated at 10:24, Saturday, 11 June 2011

The former Tarn End House Hotel, near Brampton, is set to be converted into eight apartments – some with views over picturesque Talkin Tarn.

Tarn End House

The derelict sandstone building already had planning consent for holiday flats.

Now Carlisle City Council has agreed to lift a restriction that requires the flats to be holiday lets, allowing them to be used as permanent homes.

The decision yesterday ends a long-running planning saga.

Councillors ruled in April that developer Citadel Estates should make one last attempt to market Tarn End House as a hotel or holiday apartments.

But planning officer Angus Hutchinson told the development-control committee: “The applicant has come back and explained that consultants have indicated that alternative uses are not viable.

“Marketing it for uses that are not viable would cause unnecessary delay.”

Conservative Ray Bloxham said he was “very disappointed” at Citadel Estates’ stance.

He added: “What we have now is a developer that has said to us, ‘I’m not going to accept the committee’s decision so go and reconsider’. I think that’s disgraceful.”

The majority view of councillors was that conversion to residential apartments was better than leaving Tarn End House as it is with boarded-up windows and no roof.

Conservative David Morton said: “If this is the only way to save the building from dereliction then I would support it. At the moment it is a blot on the landscape.”

The council received 50 objections to the planning application. There was one letter in support.

Objectors argued that residential use would damage the tarn and increase traffic on narrow roads.

Planning permission will be confirmed when Citadel Estates signs an agreement to make a contribution of at least £31,000 towards affordable housing.

Talkin Tarn is a country park that attracts 250,000 visitors a year. The popular footpath around the tarn will not be affected by Citadel Estates’ scheme.

First published at 08:56, Saturday, 11 June 2011
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk