A controversial plan to build eight new homes in Seaton have been given the go-ahead.
Villagers objected to the proposal, on land off Beech Grove, because they were concerned the houses would add to the flooding risk of the area.
Allerdale council’s development panel met on Tuesday and approved the plans.
A previous meeting of the panel on August 9 saw councillors deadlocked, unable to come to a decision after hearing the impassioned pleas of objectors, before deferring the application so it could be considered again with more detail on flooding.
This week’s meeting saw the application again recommended for approval by the council’s case officer on the grounds that work to address potential flooding as part of the development would be to “the betterment” of the village.
Councillors in favour of the application agreed that despite concerns raised at previous stages of the process, the applicant had gone into enough detail to ensure flooding issues would not be made worse.
But residents fear the properties will continue to be unreachable due to flood water in the winter months.
Gill Brinicombe questioned the layout and if it could increase surface water run-off. She said: “You’ve got a round about three metre drop from one side of the site to the other, that includes the existing four houses that are built on the top end of the site, they sit lower than Low Seaton road, where are they going to drain to?”
Aileen Brown, of Seaton Parish Council, spoke against the application for a second time.
She said: “The flooding problem goes back 25 years and flooding of the footpath between Low Seaton and Westcroft. Cumbria County Council could not solve the flooding problem then, they had to build a 28 metre long bridge over the culvert which is still in place today.”
She showed councillors an image of a property in the village blocked by flood water.
“The young lady is disabled who lives in that house, it’s been flooded twice since she’s been in there. She can’t get out, her carers can’t get in. They’re just worried that it’s just going to keep happening.”
However, councillors voted to approve the plans, taking the advice of officers.
Councillor Elaine Lynch said: “The drainage plan that has been put forward is very comprehensive. As the case officer has said, it’s betterment. It seems that it’s not going to make things worse and it may actually make things better.”
