Plans for a new estate in West Cumbria have been refused by councillors.
Sunshine Properties lodged an outline application for nine homes on land next to Round Close Park, off Red Lonning, in Whitehaven. It was discussed by members of Copeland Council’s planning panel due to ‘significant’ local interest and because the land was not earmarked for housing in the Local Plan.
Members were told that the site was not easily accessible to nearby services and was in an open countryside location. Officers had considered the land for availability to develop as part of the Local Plan – the council’s framework for strategic development over the next 10 years – and was deemed ‘undevelopable’.
An officer’s report added that there was no safe accessible pedestrian access into Moresby Parks or Whitehaven from the site, although the developers pledged to create a footpath along Red Lonning.
It added: “However, the Strategic Planning Team would question the viability of delivering a footpath of this distance to support the delivery of nine dwellings. Further to this, there is no evidence that the proposed footpath would provide adequate streetlighting and safety of pedestrians is also questioned due to the proposal for the footpath to require users to cross the busy Harras Road, which has a 60mph speed limit.”
A spokesman for the applicant said: “The footway part of the proposed development ensures that the housing to be provided is sustainable and is connected to Whitehaven by a continuous surface footpath link.
“It should also be noted that at the entrance to Round Close Park is a bus stop which provides the same level of service places such as Arlecdon and Beckermet rely on.”
A resident of Round Close Park spoke against the application, raising a number of issues including access and connectivity. Mr Walkingshaw said: “Our concern is the junction at Round Close Park with Red Lonning. When you’re turning right into Round Close Park from the Whitehaven direction across the oncoming traffic, your forward visibility is 70 to 80 metres. A car travelling 60 miles per hour in the opposite direction will cover that in 2.5 seconds.”
The application received 29 letters of support from various locations and 23 letters of objection from nearby residents. Moresby Parish Council also objected.
