The Government has paused a bid for 180 new homes in a West Cumbrian village after the local MP asked it to look at the decision to approve the scheme.
Story Homes was given the go-ahead by Cumberland Council to build the houses in Seaton last week.
The plans for land at Yearl Rise, to the north east of Calva Farm on Seaton Road, had attracted almost 300 objections, with people concerned about increased traffic, overdevelopment and a lack of suitable school places.
There were also concerns that the ratio of affordable housing had been dropped from 20% to 10% because it would not be viable otherwise.
Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, has now issued a holding direction to Cumberland Council.
In effect, it means the application process has been paused while he considers if the Government should make the ultimate decision.
Mr Jenkinson, who said the planning panel had failed the people of Seaton, added: “Of course, I am very pleased that the Secretary of State has asked Cumberland Council to hold off granting – at least for now – the planning application.
“And whilst this intervention by the Government is welcome news, it is also my job to manage the expectations of the people I was elected to serve. I fight for my constituents, but I am not a miracle worker.
“The bar for a full call in is very high. The principle of development on this site was agreed a couple of years ago with barely a murmur of objection.
“Honesty in politics is very important, and I do not wish to make false promises, nor do I wish to raise false hopes. ‘We are where we are’ as the saying goes, and next steps should focus on mitigating impacts.”
Mr Jenkinson said the application did not align with the Local Plan – a document identifying suitable places for developments – or the National Planning Policy Framework.
The land was placed into the Local Plan as a suitable site for development by the former Allerdale council, which was Conservative-led at the time of the last plan update.
The planning report says that Workington Academy is oversubscribed, yet no education contribution was sought from the developer to pay for more school places.
He added that the traffic assessments put before the panel dated from a quieter period during Covid, when many people were working from home, adding that updated figures should have been provided.
