Kirkby Lonsdale Town Team

July Update

Help us shape the future of Kirkby Lonsdale with a 10 year plan for the town

What is the Town Team and what is a Place Plan?

We all want Kirkby Lonsdale to continue be a great place to live, work and visit. 

Whether we like it or not, Kirkby Lonsdale, like many other small towns, is in competition with other towns in the area, for example for visitors and shoppers and for students at our schools. How can we balance the needs of those of us who live here with the needs of visitors who are essential to the future prosperity of the town? Increasingly, as financial and other resources from local and national government dwindle, towns like ours have to take the initiative ourselves to set our own course for the future. 

At the end of last year, the Town Team was formed. One of the catalysts for doing this was to try and help the town continue to recover after the tragic fire in December 2024, the impacts of which are still being felt. 

The Town Team is made up of representatives of a range of local organisations and groups, supported by councillors and officers of Westmorland and Furness Council (WFC). We are extremely grateful to the Community Development and Economy and Culture Teams at WFC who have encouraged us to set up a Town Team, and who have supported us as we’ve done it.

The purpose of the Team is to produce a Place Plan for Kirkby Lonsdale. The Place Plan is a 10 year plan which reflects the community’s hopes and aspirations for the future. It sets out a range of short, medium and long term proposals and projects which can then be implemented by various groups and organisations, with progress being monitored by the Team.

The majority of the members of the Town Team are volunteers. We don’t want it to be a talking shop. We do want it to be a force for good in helping the town shape its future so that everyone benefits.

The importance of a Place Plan is that enables those tasked with implementing projects to work together and is a recognised vehicle for securing funding from a wider range of sources including charities, local and regional organisations and WFC. Both Kendal and Ulverston have set up Town Teams and written Place Plans in order to successfully secure funding.

A Place Plan cannot represent the wishes of the community unless it is grounded in the people of the town. For this reason, a comprehensive engagement strategy has been undertaken by the Team over the last few months involving questionnaires, public meetings and discussions with individuals and groups. Thank you to the many people who have contributed to the discussions, either in person, online or in writing. We have appreciated each contribution. 

The outcome of these conversations has been drawn together as a list of potential projects, initially numbering over 80. From this list the Town Team has developed a Vision for the Town and three Themes that stem from the Vision. These Themes make it easier to short-list a range of projects. 

The Vision and Themes

After considerable discussion and debate it is suggested that the following represents a future vision for the town.

Vision Statement

Kirkby Lonsdale will continue to develop and grow as a welcoming, thriving town that cherishes its heritage while shaping a sustainable and inclusive future, where community, opportunity, and quality of life flourish.

Vision

Kirkby Lonsdale will continue to develop as a thriving, inclusive and forward-looking town that values its heritage while embracing the future – one where people of all ages feel they belong, are supported to flourish, and are proud to call it home. Rooted in strong community spirit, high quality education, and care for our natural environment, the town will further opportunities, wellbeing and sustainability, ensuring that economic vitality, social connection and quality of life grow together for generations to come. We will balance the needs of our community with the needs of the visitors who are essential to the town’s future prosperity. 

From this Vision the Team has developed three key themes.

THEME 1 An empowered community, building on our people, assets and our cultural offer

The resulting projects are primarily about people, participation, culture and community life.

THEME 2 A refined visitor experience, celebrating our traders, embracing change and ensuring sustainability

The resulting projects focus on how the town is experienced, economically and physically by residents and visitors.

THEME 3 Infrastructure as the foundations for sustainable growth

The resulting projects provide the backbone (facilities, services, access and systems) that enable the town to function and grow.

Projects and Proposals by Theme

Theme 1

An empowered community, building on our people, assets and our cultural offer

1. A dedicated youth space (club/café/meeting place)
2. Increase activities (eg film nights, cinema, pool, darts, table tennis)
3. Involve young people in decision making through representation and engagement
4. Enhance access to sport, play and informal recreation – a MUGA (multi use games area), improved parks and all-weather facilities
5. Encourage intergenerational activities, using local assets (art and dance)
6. Continue the ‘Illuminate’ festival and organise events across town – events organiser
7. Establish a community walking group
8. Increase volunteering opportunities/ list of volunteers/ skills training for volunteers
9. Ensure sustainability and improved community use of the Lunesdale Hall
10. Lobby for more affordable housing in new schemes and for social housing 

Theme 2

A refined visitor experience, celebrating our traders, embracing change and ensuring sustainability

1. A range of Town Centre improvements (improve accessibility to shops; green the town; enhance Queen Square fountain; encourage clean and tidy town centre properties; widen pavements where possible; and improve bus stops/provide shelters)
2. Market Square – improve Monument and make the square a people friendly space to support events, markets and social interaction
3. More dog poo bins and signs
4. Develop a clear and consistent town brand and marketing approach
5. Support independent businesses – onboarding toolkit and retail gap analysis
6. Secure future cash provision

Theme 3

Infrastructure as the foundations for sustainable growth

1. Further improve Brow footpath and Radical Steps
2. Improve footpath from Rugby Club to Brow (resurface, add lighting and signage)
3. Remodel/improve Play park
4. More signed cycle and footpath routes
5. Improve and increase public toilets, including a Changing Places facility
6. Parking analysis and review
7. Carry out accessibility audit and implement results
8. Safer pedestrian and cycle crossing of A65 at Low Biggins
9. Improve street lighting (Town and Low Biggins)
10. Clean and repair road signs
11. Support Swinemarket improvement

Under these three themes, therefore, we have identified 27 separate projects, all important and each with varying degrees of complexity, duration and cost.

Other projects

There are also a range of other projects which are already in progress, where outside agencies are the lead, or which are long term aspirational projects. These are listed below and it is proposed that the town, via the Town Team, supports these.

Projects/Initiatives already in progress

• St Mary’s Church repair and re-ordering (St Mary’s Church)
• 10mph speed limit (WFC)
• Scout Activity Barn on the Glebe (Scouts)
• Additional facilities at the Rugby Club (Rugby Club)

Projects/Initiatives where outside agencies are the lead

• Lobby bus operators for more routes and timetable changes (Bus operators)
• Increased developer contributions to infrastructure thorough the planning process (WFC)

Long term aspirational projects/initiatives

• Footpaths along the A65 to business parks and Whoop Hall (WFC)
• Footpath to Ingleton along former Railway line (Sustrans)

What next?

Realistically, only a limited number of projects can be taken forward, probably between 5 and 10 in the first instance, out of the 27 identified above.

On Wednesday 15 July at 2.30pm and 7.00pm in the Lunesdale Hall, the Town Team will be presenting the work that has been done to date and you will have the opportunity to say which of the projects you think should have priority. It will also be an opportunity, if you wish, to volunteer to help on specific projects that you feel strongly about or where have an expertise which will help that project.

Anyone attending either session will receive a FREE raffle ticket for a raffle to be drawn in December 2026 with great local prizes including first prize artwork of a framed Kirkby Lonsdale Townscape by Clare Tyas, Ginger Arts.

This is an important opportunity to help set the future direction of the town and help the Town Team in its aim to ensure that a number of key projects are taken forward and realised.

Do please join us if you can as we work together to shape the future of the town.

If you’re unable to attend, and would like to talk with one of the Team please contact either:
Mike Burchnall 07792 197580
or Peter Gregson 07484 751160.