A developer has revealed it is hoping to build up to 65 homes in a village near Cockermouth.

Story Homes has written to Little and Great Broughton residents, inviting them to a public consultation into its proposed future planning application on land north of Broughton Park, in Little Broughton.

The developer hopes to build up to 65 two to five-bedroom homes, including some which would be affordable for local people.

But some residents are annoyed at the proposed plans, which they say will conjoin the villages of Little and Great Broughton and claim there are access issues.

Nicky Cockburn, and Allerdale councillor, lives in Great Broughton. She said: “I’m furious. In April I had a meeting with the council’s head of development services Kevin Kerrigan and a planning policy officer.

“I spoke to them about the joining of Little Broughton and Great Broughton into one massive village. People in both villages don’t want this – or to be called ‘Broughton’.

“We had land allocations map for local plan part twoand I pointed out the very worst and best places to build in Great and Little Broughton because of egress and further conjoining issues.

“I’m furious that he has completely and utterly ignored what I said about conjoining villages and using land with terrible egress. Every exit from this proposal has a dangerous junction already.

“I have no problems with some building, but why not have smaller, less intrusive developments? I do not understand why the dynamics of small villages has to be skewed by large developments when there are known problems.”

Councillor Cockburn will be meeting with Mr Kerrigan next week.

Sue Hannah, chairman of Broughton Parish Council, said: “The planning department has, for some time, regarded Great and Little Broughton as one village, which apparently needs to have more housing. Workington and Cockermouth are full so Broughton is the next best bet.

“We will be discussing this at a council meeting next week.”

An Allerdale spokesman said: “Any access issues would be assessed as part of any planning application, with highways being a consultee.

“While recognising the distinction between Great and Little Broughton, all of the council’s planning policy documents dating as far back as 1975 have defined a single ‘settlement limit’ encompassing both areas which has been referred to as Broughton in planning policy documents.

“The current Allerdale local plan (part one) which was adopted by the council in July 2014 and sets the council’s strategic planning policies for the period to 2029 identifies Broughton, along with 10 other settlements in Allerdale, as a local service centre.

“Local service centres are larger villages with some services where it is considered some housing development will be needed to contribute to maintaining the vitality of the settlements.”

  • The first homes in a new Cockermouth development should be ready by February.

People who have registered an interest in the 320-home Strawberry Grange, at Strawberry How, will be invited to a sales launch next month. Work started on site last month. The development will create two, three, four and five-bedroom properties. Up to 40 per cent will be affordable homes.

Developer Story Homes will contribute to the following: £25,000 towards the upgrading of Bellrigg Lonning play area; £265,122 to provide additional capacity at All Saints Primary School and £525,000 to provide a new bus service that connects the site to the town centre. Buses will run every hour through the day, Monday to Saturday.