Derwent Forest (utropia)

26/10/2018

Inside the grounds of the former arms depot at Broughton Moor (with video).

26/10/2018

Workmen to start building road and installing energy supplies ahead of new homes construction.

30/08/2018

Latest

Ambitious masterplan revealed by consortium behind scheme for Broughton Moor ex-armaments depot

30/08/2018

Ambitious masterplan revealed by consortium behind scheme for Broughton Moor ex-armaments depot

28/06/2018

There is currently no memorial specifically for the workers killed in the 1944 blast

21/10/2016

Great Broughton film student Lee Rielly made the video after spending a day on the Derwent Forest site with a camera and drone.
Lee, 21, who is studying film-making at Manchester Metropolitan University, said: “I have lived next to the site all my life and have always been fascinated by what was there but have never been in. It’s such a big piece of land with over a hundred buildings.
“Someone told me how I could get access.”
In the film, Lee walks around much of the three-mile site and explores a former factory, tower and some of the many redundant buildings. Most of them are empty shells.
He said: “I have had some good feedback, lots of people have wondered what is on there and loved seeing the film.”

Lee has made a series of films about derelict places, including a former RAF base in Silloth and a Lillyhall factory.
He said: “I want to make them because these places used to be so full – of workers, people and life but will eventually be taken down.”

The Broughton site was a colliery from 1873 to 1932. The Royal Naval Armaments Depot then opened in 1938, six years later there was a large explosion which killed 11 people and injured 70.
Between 1977 and 1981 the US Airforce used the site to store munitions. The depot has been closed since 1992.
The site is now owned by Derwent Forest Development Consortium, which has plans to transform it into Utropia, an example of eco-friendly living and working.
Once developed it could feature housing, an eco hotel and a festival site.
Planning permission to develop an area of self-build housing plots is now in place and work to remove newts from that area is expected to begin in the spring.
Consortium chairman Nigel Catterson advised people to stay off the site for safety.
He said: “The site is still very hazardous. There’s a lot of asbestos on the site. There are 79 mine shafts. To the best of our knowledge they are all capped but we don’t know until we have done the full survey.
“If someone were to go onto the site and twist their ankle or break a leg it would be almost impossible to locate them. The perimeter fence is seven miles long and there’s so much wilderness.
“From a personal safety point of view we’d discourage people from going on there, aside from the fact it’s private property.
“I certainly wouldn’t go on there on my own.”

Thanks for watching, subscribe! Filmmaking Channel: www.youtube.com/leeriellyfilms Website: www.leerielly.com Instagram/Twitter/Snapchat: LeeRielly Off Limit...

15/06/2016

Here's the link to PFK

Making Property Simple.

02/06/2016

It is a very long time since I have posted anything, but for those who know me this will come as no surprise. However finally I am delighted to report that things are moving. There has been much to deal with and resolve (including newts) and it has been immensely frustrating but it looks as though we will soon be breaking ground. We (Story's) will be establishing 24 self build plots which will have views to the Northern Fells, similar to the picture above. We are working with PFK Estate Agents who are currently running a survey to gauge interest (check out their page PFK). These will be good size plots and represent a unique opportunity to build your own dream house. I will endeavour to be more dilligent now in reporting progress and letting you know what we are doing.
Nigel

29/05/2016

Just checking in for Nigel Catterson

11/02/2015

Work on former RNAD site in West Cumbria takes step forward

Last updated at 07:54, Wednesday, 11 February 2015

Initial plans to redevelop the former RNAD site at Broughton Moor have been approved by planners.

Allerdale council’s development panel on Tuesday approved plans for 24 building plots on the edge of the site.

The plots will be sold for people to build houses on, and the sale will help to fund the clean-up and development of the site, now known as Derwent Forest.

They will be built on nine acres near the site’s edge at North Terrace, Great Broughton.

It is the first major step in overhauling the largest brownfield site in the North West, which was bought from the Ministry of Defence for £1 by Allerdale council and the county council in 2008 after years of discussion about its future.

Councillor Ron Munby said: “Thank goodness this is moving on. Some of us have discussed this for the last 10 or 12 years.”

Story Homes, which is part of Derwent Forest Development Consortium, will install road access and utilities to the plots before they were sold on to individuals or small building companies.

Anyone taking on a plot at the site will be asked to work within the principles of the Utropia project, including sustainability, and will be guided on the materials to use.

The consortium wants to develop a model of sustainable working and living on the huge site.

An eco-hotel and a festival site are among the aspirations for the site, which first needs to be cleaned up.

Renewable energy is expected to play a significant part in the development.

The consortium is considering a solar park, biomass, geothermal energy and small-scale wind power, with an educational facility alongside.

It was chosen as the councils’ preferred developer for the site nearly four years ago.

It is chaired by Nigel Catterson, of Welton, near Carlisle, who is also chairman of Britain’s Energy Coast.

So far 27,000 indigenous broad-leaf trees have been planted on the site to create a jubilee wood.

Issues including mineral rights, which had prevented further work beginning, have now been overcome and the consortium is able to begin work on site.

Long term, the site will be managed by a community interest company or similar organisation.

First published at 07:53, Wednesday, 11 February 2015
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk

21/01/2015

UK District Energy Association