Soft play charity faces uncertainty amid flat plan
Mason Gillibrand Architects/LDRSA charity soft play centre which almost closed last year has been given another challenge after plans were entered for its building to be turned into apartments.
The proposals would see the building currently housing Outside In on Beezon Road in Kendal turned into seven flats.
There would also be four retail units at ground floor level, and what is currently an outdoor play area would be turned into a car park, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
The application was validated by the council last week, with charity bosses saying they were told of the plan earlier this month by their landlord.
Karen Peel, chair of trustees, said the charity was considering its options for the future, with planning permission likely to take several weeks or months.
She said: "We rely on funding and community support to survive, which has always been a constant struggle."
The soft play centre almost closed last year but "managed to survive" due to the support of staff, customers, partners, funders and the wider community, she said.
Karen said the charity had operated reduced hours during term time, with full-time opening during school holidays to help with its funding.
A planning statement accompanying the application said the site was in a "highly sustainable and accessible" location, being within walking distance of the town centre and the train station.
