• Increase in traffic - the Councillors rejected Dobbies figures that only 10% of the traffic flow would come through Dalston. Many of the potential visitors from the south and north of Carlisle, Penrith direction and from the Caldbeck area would come through Dalston village. Traffic and parking is a major issue in Dalston and one which is the subject of a major project currently being pursued by the Parish Council. This infrastructure just cannot sustain more traffic.
• Inadequacy of the roads on the Dalston side - all of the traffic coming through Dalston to this site from Dalston will have to pass along a very narrow and twisty road, almost single track in places.
• Competition for local business - as one Dalstonian pointed out, much that Dobbies are likely to sell can be sourced in and around the Dalston area, from high quality locally farm sourced meat to the full range of garden and horticultural produce.
• Employment - the Councillors felt that, although Dobbies was planning on employing a significant number of people, given that much of the present workforce in local industry comes in from Carlisle and elsewhere, it was thought unlikely that the people of Dalston would benefit. In fact, when the potential number of job losses in the area due to businesses scaling down as a result of Dobbies, it could even be a nett loss.
• Planning creep - the council was especially worried about the long-term liklihood of other large scale retailing enterprises seeking permission to build alongside this site. Also, the proximity of the current and future city boundary made it possible that, in 20 or so years, Carlisle and Dalston might merge. Dalstonians are particularly concerned to retain their rural village community and do not wish to become a major service centre to Carlisle. Councillors pointed out that, in at least one other area where Dobbies had been granted permission for a similar scale development outside the obvious city boundaries, already other commercial developments were being build alongside.
• In short, the Parish Council felt that the scale of this proposal was much too great for the location and that other sites closer to Carlisle (for example, on the edge of the proposed Morton development) would be more appropriate. The Parish Council urged all those involved in the final planning decision at Carlisle City Council to go and have a look at other Dobbies sites in order to get a feel for the scale and range of retail products which are sold as well as the franchising of space (e.g. Cotton Traders, Royal Worcester and GBC - The Garden Building Centre) which occurs elsewhere.
• Dalston Parish Council was supported by the local County and City Councillors, both of whom spoke in agreement that the scale was too great for the area.

Full information, together with the relevant plans, are available on the Carlisle City Website by clicking here. If you want to follow the process of this planning application, or make any comment, as a member of the public, then please go to the Carlisle City website and follow the appropriate links.