£50m centre refit plan unveiled

The K Village centre is a former factory for K Shoes

Plans have been unveiled for a £50m redevelopment of a major Cumbrian shopping complex.

A previous scheme to revamp K Village, on the edge of Kendal, was rejected after a public inquiry found trebling its size would make it too "big".

But the developers are hoping their new scheme, which does not include as many shops, will get the go-ahead.

The plans include a heritage centre featuring the history of Kendal's shoe industry, and riverside flats.

K Village is a former shoe factory that currently houses more than a dozen factory shops.

The current buildings are falling to bits and cannot be allowed to continue to sit there John Drummond, project manager

There are three firms behind the development, the Edinburgh-based Guinea Group as well as Cusp and the Kennedy Group, both based in Northern Ireland.

Project manager, John Drummond, said the building is now crumbling and in desperate need of redevelopment.

He said: "This time round the proposals are for a smaller amount of retail space with a 5,000sq ft heritage centre which will be a major tourist attraction for Kendal and the surrounding area.

Public consultation

"As things stand the current buildings are falling to bits and have structural problems and cannot be allowed to continue to sit there and fall down.

"We need to consult with the people of Kendal who need to weigh up the pros and cons of the scheme so we are not rushing it.

"We've also reduced the proposed height of the centre so it will not be overshadowing other businesses. We believe people will like what they see."

During the public inquiry two years ago, bosses at Westmorland shopping centre in Kendal, attacked the original proposals saying they would take visitors out of town and too far away from main street shops.