Plans to build 194 homes in Penrith have been turned down by the council due to a lack of affordable housing and community facilities.
Members of the strategic planning committee for Westmorland and Furness Council refused proposals from Story Homes against planning officers’ advice to build 194 homes on land between Inglewood Road and Centurion Rise.
Six councillors voted in favour of refusing the plans with two against the proposal.
The committee said: “The proposed development does not provide sufficient affordable housing to meet the target set out in the adopted Eden local plan and the lack of affordable housing will not provide sufficient low-cost dwellings for the community of Penrith.
“The proposed development does not provide for the provision of community facilities within the site to the harm of future residents of the development and will not result in sustainable further developments.”
In March a decision on the proposals was deferred by councillors to allow more time for discussions with the developer regarding the provision of more affordable housing, the introduction of bollards and the preparation of land for a future community facility.
According to a report prepared for the committee, the developers added five more affordable homes to the plans, taking the total number to 29, which represents 15 per cent of the proposed development.
The report said the increased provision was ‘welcome’, whilst it does not meet the target of 30 per cent provision of affordable housing, an additional contribution would put the viability of the scheme ‘at risk’.
Councillor Frank Cassidy (Walney Island, Labour) told the committee Story Homes was ‘very profitable’ and added: “The company’s modified affordable housing offer of 15 per cent still falls well below the council target of 30 per cent.
“The ordinary person in the street wants to see more affordable housing being constructed and this committee should reflect that reality.”
Senior land and planning manager for Story Homes Adam McNally said: “We’ve reviewed, and we are taking a reduced profit margin to provide those five extra affordables which brings the total to 15 per cent or 29 in total.”
Mr McNally told the committee there was a ‘significant cost’ to overcome the ‘constraints’ of the site. He added there are more than £5.5 million in abnormal costs on the site.
The applicant had also identified opportunities for the provision of community facilities at Penrith Golf Club, which is near the site, a report prepared for the committee states.
Chairman of Penrith Golf Club Les Balmer said in response to the plans: “Penrith Golf Club sees itself as an existing provider of local facilities and we wish to cement our role as an integral part of the local community by not only providing people with the opportunity to participate in sport, but to also support the community by providing clubhouse facilities that can be used for activities not directly related to the sport of golf.”
In response to the new plans Councillor Patricia Bell (Penrith North, Lib Dems) said: “I believe this proposal represents a well-balanced, and necessary sustainable development, allowing Penrith to meet housing need, and support the ambition of Westmorland and Furness Council to both grow the local economy and support employment on strategic employment sites. The construction phase of this scheme will support 600 jobs.”
The site is 9.3 hectares in size and planning documents propose two access points, one from the south through the existing Centurion Drive development off Salkeld Road and the other directly onto Inglewood Road.
