Whitehaven homes approved despite fears there are 'too many'

Cumberland Council voted to approve the plans for the new homes in Whitehaven

A housing development will be built despite claims there are already "too many" homes for the area's infrastructure to support.

Plans to construct 23 homes in Harras Park, Whitehaven, were approved by Cumberland Council.

Residents said hundreds of properties were due to be built nearby and raised concerns over the impact on roads.

However, the planning committee was convinced by the Harras Park plan and traffic calming measures.

But members did impose conditions that at least three of the houses should be affordable.

Proposals show a mix of two and four-bedroom homes for land north of Harras Road.

Previous plans for a similar development on the site - with no affordable homes - were rejected by former authority, Copeland Council, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Joseph Ghayouba, who represents the Bransty ward, argued there were plans for 460 new homes in the area, in addition to the 23.

"There isn't one single mode of public transport that residents and the community have to show for all these developments that would reduce the volume of traffic in the area," he said.

"This will be the straw that breaks the camel's back."

He had urged the planning committee to reject the homes, claiming there would be too many for the local infrastructure to cope with.

However, the committee heard that traffic calming measures including two chicanes would be installed and there had been "improvements" made to the application.

Seven members voted in favour of approval while three voted against.