Plans to build 71 homes on the former RNAD armaments depot in West Cumbria have been thrown out by councillors.
Derwent Forest Development Consortium Ltd applied to build the homes on the largest brownfield site in England as the first step in its wider masterplan to regenerate the 1,050 acre former depot, which has been unused since 1992.
Despite being recommended for approval by its officers, members of Allerdale council’s development panel refused the application.
The consortium said it will now consider its options.
Proposals within its wider masterplan included new employment space, new homes and community facilities, a link to the C2C cycleway and the removal of miles of military fencing to open up the site for public use.
Nigel Catterson, the Cumbrian businessman who is chairman of the firm, said: “This is disappointing news given the tremendous amount of work we have undertaken with all stakeholders to demonstrate how the scheme would sit well within its location and address the local road network.
“The application clearly brings a wide range of benefits to the area and supports a number of strategic priorities identified by local government.
“It remains our ambition to remediate 450 acres of derelict land and improve public access alongside building affordable homes, an early-years teaching unit at Broughton academy and the planting of 15,000 trees.
“There are wider ecological gains available, too, and the amenity value of linking the site to the coast-to-coast cycleway and building new exercise trails.
“Our proposals were just for phase one and we have even greater ambitions for the remainder of the site which we hope to bring to fruition. But first we will absorb the details of the reasoning behind the decision and consider our options..
The role of the Derwent Forest project is recognised in a number of key strategies including the Energy Coast Masterplan, Sub-regional Spatial Strategy, Cumbria Tourism Destination Plan and Cumbria Economic Plan.
Broughton Moor Parish Council, as a statutory consultee, raised concerns about an increase in traffic. It also claimed the current plans did not deliver on the original design for green, sustainable, self-sufficient, carbon neutral homes but, rather, used standard building materials, mains waste-water systems and mains electricity.
The parish council also objected on the grounds that the development would not benefit the existing village community.
The application was first debated by Allerdale councillors last month, but they deferred their decision after commissioning extra reports.
