The people behind the multi-million-pound transformation of a former munitions depot in West Cumbria have begun initial steps to market self-build housing plots on the site.

Plans are being developed to overhaul the 1,050-acre former Royal Naval Armaments Depot site at Broughton Moor.

A survey has been launched to gauge interest in 24 self-build housing plots which will provide funding to kick-start development elsewhere on the site.

Derwent Forest Development Consortium, which is behind the plans, has brought in estate agency PFK to carry out the survey.

Outline planning permission was granted in early 2015 for the plots, on nine acres near the site's edge at North Terrace, Great Broughton.

Funding from the sale of the plots will go towards the clean-up and development of the site to create the Utropia project, an example of eco living and working.

Nigel Catterson, consortium chairman, has been working on the plan since 2001.

He said: "The sale of these plots will enable us to realise the masterplan for the whole site. It's a very significant step."

The consortium was selected by Allerdale council and Cumbria County Council in 2011 to be the developer for the site.

Since then, the group has been working behind the scenes to make progress on issues such as mineral rights, as well as planting a jubilee wood featuring 27,000 indigenous broad-leaf trees on the site.

Mr Catterson, 66, who is also chairman of Britain's Energy Coast, said: "The behind the scenes work was all very necessary but also very frustrating.

"We are delighted to be at this point.

"This is us starting the journey and we hope from here on we will start to escalate stuff."

Story Homes, which is part of the consortium, hopes to begin work on site to install the infrastructure for the self-build plots this month or next month.

An eco-hotel and a festival site are among its aspirations for the site, which first needs to be cleaned up.

Renewable energy is expected to play a significant part in the development.

The consortium is considering a solar park, biomass, geothermal energy and small-scale wind power, with an educational facility alongside.

David Britton, of PFK, said: "There have been quite a few positive emails and I haven't had any negatives.

"We are having a good response to the survey and the results so far are quite interesting."