Plans for 65 new homes near Carlisle have been approved, despite significant concerns over flooding in the area.
Members of Cumberland Council’s planning committee met at the Civic Centre in Carlisle yesterday and considered the application from Story Homes for land at Hadrian’s Camp on Houghton Road in Houghton.
It was recommended that the application was granted, subject to conditions and a legal agreement to provide £491,760 towards the provision of secondary education, £6,000 towards the monitoring of the travel plan, and 13 properties designated as affordable homes.
The 2.2-hectare site is on the southern edge of Houghton and the new estate will include two- three- and four-bedroom semi-detached and detached homes.
Councillor Craig Nicholson, the chairman of Stanwix Rural Parish Council, showed members recent photos of flooding along Houghton Road and demanded that the development should make the issue worse. He added: “This is not a theoretical scenario.”
He said the parish council was extremely concerned over the development and added that the housing offer did not meet identified local needs.
Sam Greig, the applicant’s agent, said the site had previously been an army camp which was a large development and Houghton Road was prone to flooding from a nearby tributary. Any surface water at the development would drain away in the opposite direction.
While councillor Roger Dobson (Corby and Hayton, Lib Dems) said he felt that the explanation was well articulated and a good explanation he said: “I would like reassurance about this.”
Planning officers said a number of conditions were aimed at reducing and managing the risk of flooding.
Cllr Dobson said comments from residents and parish councils that while there were lots of houses being built there were not enough schools built.
He added: “I would like assurance that we are building new schools.”
Councillor Andrew Semple (Cockermouth South, Labour) was also concerned about any flood risk and wondered if he was happy that the development would not add to any flooding.
He added: “I can’t vote for an application when I have doubts about it. We have not got anyone here from environmental or highways departments. Am I sure that this development isn’t going to make this worse?”
Councillor John Mallinson (Houghton and Irthington, Conservative) said: “I think this is a really good development and I’d like to support it.”
But he added that the flooding issue in Houghton Road was a cause of serious concern.
He added: “I need the reassurance that it will not make the flooding worse.”
Cllr Dobson suggested that they defer the matter but councillor Jimmy Grisdale (Seaton, Labour) observed that the flood authority had raised no objection to the development.
Officers said it would be a standalone development subject to its own flood management plan.
However, when the proposal to defer was put to the vote more members were against the move and the application was approved.
After the meeting, Cllr Nicholson said: “The parish council had significant concerns about the flooding, and members were sympathetic to that view.
“And the chairwoman allowed the agent an opportunity to speak during the council’s debate on the application. I raised my hand to reply to that and was not allowed to speak.
“I feel that the parish councils, and, therefore, the community’s voice, has been prejudiced by that decision, and that the opportunity to rebut what was said by the agent was denied to the parish council that represents the community of Houghton.
“But as the parish council is a local authority, duly elected, and representing the community. I would have thought that a parish council would have an equal right to respond to the applicant.”
Planning meetings follow a strict procedure. They begin with a presentation of the application to members, followed by representations by interested parties, a councillors debate and voting. People who have made a representation usually cannot add to their initial presentation.
