Plans for 720 new homes in Carlisle have been given the go-ahead.
Persimmon Homes Lancashire wants to create the estate in Morton, on a 17.5 hectare site near Dalston Road, Persimmon’s 100-home Amberwood estate and the Charles Church development Cloverfield.
Members of Cumberland Council’s planning committee discussed the application when they met today, Wednesday, July 9.
Chris Hardman, the council’s head of development management, told members that initial outline planning permission was granted in 2009 and this application was for details including: appearance, landscaping and scale.
The site is next to the proposed St Cuthbert’s Garden Village and was part of what was originally known as the Morton Masterplan.
Persimmon said a ‘spine road’ would be provided through the site, providing access to Dalston Road via Grange Drive, part of the Amberwood estate.
The estate would feature detached, semi-detached and terraced properties from two-bedroom to five-bedroom, with the majority having three bedrooms.
be provided.
The estate would be a mix of 45 house types, a report to the committee said. There would be 21 private Persimmon house types, 14 Charles Church house types and 10 affordable house types.
In total, 436 homes would be Persimmon house types, 68 would be Charles Church house types and 216 of the dwellings would be affordable housing.
The estate would have 1,610 parking spaces for residents, 84 visitor spaces in laybys, a 37-space car park and 110 spaces on the roads within the
development.
The firm said a large area of open space would be provided at the northern end of the site for allotments, children’s play area, multi-use games area, informal kick about area, areas of informal open space, an attenuation pond and a flood compensation area. Other small areas of open space would be provided throughout the site.
Local resident Alan Eales raised a number of concerns including that the housing density was unacceptably high and it needed more visitor parking bays but added: “These objections are not against it being a residential development.”
Fellow resident Graeme Challis said there were access issues and there were no proposed speed measures. He described the development as a corridor of concrete with no garden space.
Rachael Graham, of Persimmon, said the application had been carefully considered and the site had first been identified for development around 20 years ago.
She said the housing density was appropriate for the site, delivery of the housing would provide jobs for the next 10 years and they were committed to installing road safety measures.
Councillor Tony Markley (Solway Coast, Conservative) was concerned that construction traffic would access the site through residential areas and Mr Hardman said an access road would be constructed from Peter Lane.
Councillor Roger Dobson (Corby and Hayton, Lib Dems) said it was the largest development that the committee, which was first formed in 2023, and added: “This is very important and we have to be careful when considering it.”
He said he was concerned about the access points and he was also concerned over road safety issues.
Cllr Dobson was told that road safety was a reserved matter that would be considered at a later date and the garden village would eventually be across the road and the officer said he would be surprised if road safety measures would not be provided.
Councillor Robert Betton (Botcherby, Independent Group) said he had a lot of concerns over the biggest development they had been asked to consider including that the percentage of affordable housing was too low at 30 per cent.
He said he felt there was not enough green space and it represented a loss of habitat.
Mr Hardman said 30 per cent of affordable housing was compliant and Cllr Markley proposed that a condition that the access road from Peter Lane should be built first and Mr Hardman said they could make the condition but the applicant might challenge it.
Cllr Markley proposed the condition and he was seconded by councillor Jimmy Grisdale (Seaton, Labour) and when the matter was put to the vote nine members were in favour, with one was against, and the application was approved including the access road condition.
Cummersdale Parish Council said it was concerned about the development and its overuse of high timber fencing, lack of natural boundaries. It added: “The density is too high and many of the houses do not have a front garden which is also as detrimental to the general health and wellbeing of the residents.”
It questioned why a condition for renewable energy had been removed and said it had the potential of increasing traffic movements on Peter Lane and Dalston Road.
Dalston Parish Council said without extra school provision, doctors and dentists, the new development would impact the already stretched services and raised concerns over water pressure in the parish.
The scheme has also attracted over 47 letters of objection.
Objectors were concerned about the increase in traffic, impact on wildlife, drainage issues and how the plans related to the 10,000-home Garden Village scheme.
After the application was approved, Andrew Laing, land director at Persimmon Lancashire, said: “We are pleased that Cumberland Council has approved these plans for 720 homes at Morton.
“This development will provide a range of energy efficient two- to five-bedroom homes suitable for first-time buyers, families and downsizers alike.
“We look forward to working with Cumberland Council to deliver these new homes and ensure our investment brings real benefits for the local community.”
