A partner has been appointed to help develop land next to Windermere's train station into a 'gateway to the Lakes'.

The area includes land around the railway platform, car parks and bus terminal, Booths and Lakeland stores and nine hectares of National Trust investment land, next to Thwaites Lane, identified for mixed use development by the Lake District National Park Authority.

The scheme is being co-ordinated by consortium the Windermere Gateway Project Steering Group and

regeneration company Urban Splash has been appointed as development partner by the National Trust, with the support of the group.

The consortium is made up of Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership, South Lakeland District Council, the National Trust, Lake District National Park Authority, and Booths and Lakeland.

Jim Jackson, deputy chair of Cumbria LEP and steering group chair, said: “The potential developments around Windermere station are very welcome enabling improvements to the transport infrastructure, local economy and additional local housing.

"It is great to see partnerships come together to provide improvements in Cumbria.”

Proposals will be subject to planning permission and the group's vision includes transforming land gifted to the National Trust into one that meets local needs.

Mike Innerdale, the National Trust’s regional director for the North of England said: “There is a unique opportunity for us to make a difference in Windermere through a gift that supports our conservation work.

"It means developing land next to the station in a sensitive way to provide housing for locals, meet employment needs and provide a world-class entry point and transport hub to the Lakes.

"It involves other landowners and stakeholders. It is very much a shared ambition and a partnership project supported by many.

“We are at a very early stage of establishing what sort of development is viable on this challenging site. It will be informed by discussions with the local community and key stakeholders."

Emma Moody, LDNPA’s lead strategy advisor for transport, access and recreation, said: “This development, which is subject to planning permission, has great potential to support the low carbon and sustainable transport aspirations of the park, creating a new hub that can have a positive impact on traffic and travel for residents and visitor as well as providing affordable and local needs housing for the community.”

Lakeland's hairman Sam Rayner added: “Lakeland recognise the need to create a better gateway to the Lakes than the existing overcrowded arrangement.

"Visitors arriving by train should have more of a sense of arrival and of reaching a unique and beautiful part of the world.

"The opportunity afforded by the National Trust to work in partnership with local businesses and transport infrastructure operators may help create such a gateway as well as providing much needed affordable homes for local people.”

Urban Splash has won 416 awards for its work in sensitive restoration, design and architecture, and regeneration.

Director Nathan Cornish said: “It is an outstanding opportunity to take forward a rare development site in arguably the most beautiful part of the country.

"Urban Splash has transformed many listed buildings and sensitive sites across the country, and we will need to use all of our skills and experiences to deliver something befitting of this important gateway site to the Lake District."