Plans for 300 new homes in Carlisle were approved by Cumberland Council’s planning committee this week.
Members met on Wednesday, March 13, at Allerdale House in Workington to consider the application for land at Harker Industrial Estate, Kingmoor Park Harker Estate.
The application – a revised plan of an earlier submission which was approved – requested a variation in that permission and it was also recommended for approval subject to a number of conditions.
Members were told that the variation represented minor changes to the size of gardens at six of the plots, as well as new house types.
Councillors Robert Betton (Botcherby, Independent Group) said he was concerned about the size of the development and added: “All of these buildings are coming in, plans are put in, I am concerned we don’t have the infrastructure.”
He said there was a shortage of schools and he felt the infrastructure issue was not being addressed.
Jane Meek, the council’s assistant director of thriving place and investment, pointed out that the previous application had been approved and it was not within the powers of the committee to overturn that decision.
And councillor John Mallinson (Houghton and Irthington, Conservative) said that there was no shortage of school places.
According to the planning report, the site covers an area of around 10.7 hectares and is between the M6 motorway and the A7 and about 640 metres to the north west of Junction 44.
The report adds: “This is 250 metres north of the urban area boundary. The industrial estate is formed from a number of MoD buildings as part of the former 14MU site.
“To the north of the site is a small group of residential properties including Low Harker Farm and a further small grouping of industrial units.
“To the south of the site is Grearshill Farm and there are open fields to the west separating the site from the Low Ghyll traveller community and to the east is a small area of woodland.”
