Cockermouth’s former fire headquarters could become a new housing development if the plans are approved next week.
The proposal is for the Station Road building and the applicant, Dobies Cumbria, has applied to construct a four-storey apartment block, as well as six new houses, infrastructure and landscaping.
The matter will be decided by Cumberland Council’s planning committee because it has been called in by Councillor Andrew Semple (Cockermouth South, Labour).
According to the planning report Cllr Semple felt the proposals would affect nearby amenity greenspace and undeveloped land.
The report states: “A key objective of the local plan is to protect and enhance the quality of the environment.”
The application has been recommended for approval subject to a number of conditions and an agreement for six affordable units – two first homes and four at a discounted sale – as well as off-site planting in Harris Park.
However, there have been 347 separate objections to the plan and Cockermouth Town Council has also opposed the proposal.
The 347 objections raised a number of concerns including: the loss of trees; impact on biodiversity and protected sites; an impact on the character and appearance of the area; impact on the highway; parking; drainage and flooding; impact on Harris Park; privacy and amenity.
The town council’s concerns included: density of building; appearance; protected trees; it is a wildlife corridor for protected species; light pollution in a woodland area; drainage; pollution incidents; parking allocation; and overdevelopment.
According to the report the site forms a brownfield site within the development boundaries of Cockermouth which has been identified as a housing commitment within the Allerdale Local Plan.
The report said: “The fire station is located to the south of the access road with the Mountain Rescue team closer to Station Road.
“The former office building outside of the site limits is partially converted to residential use under permitted development.
“The terrace of residential dwellings to the south of the mountain rescue team building are Grade II listed.
“The Greenway bounds the site to the north, this is a permissive path but not an adopted public right of way. Harris Park bounds the site to the south, which also forms the southern boundary of the Conservation Area.”
The block of flats would have car parking at the ground floor, four units on the first and second floors, with two three-bedroom penthouse apartments served by roof terraces on the third floor.
The report said: “The apartment block has been designed to be contemporary in appearance with the top floor set back and finished in standing seam zinc providing contrast to the render below. The car parking level would be faced in red brick.”
The six affordable flats are proposed within the existing block of flats within Station House and be secured by a planning agreement.
The development would also include two detached four-bedroom properties, a pair of semi-detached three-bedroom buildings and two semi-detached two-bedroom dwellings, with a mix of brick and render with slate roofs.
Wednesday’s public meeting of the planning committee is due to start at 10.30am and will be held at Allerdale House in Workington.
