Plans to provide a site for allotments in Seaton are taking a step forward.

The parish council has acquired ownership of land at Meadow Vale and is in the process of applying to Allerdale council to build facilities for the new allotments.

Earlier last year, allotment holders were evicted from their former site at Lowca Lane after a four-year battle for the ownership of the land.

Members of the allotments society are currently doing maintenance work at the Meadow Vale site.

Paul Bramley, town clerk, said: “They’re clearing the land because it’s full of weeds and long grass.

“The process of the planning application lasts eight weeks, so I don’t expect work to start before October.”

But residents at Meadow Vale are concerned that they have not been consulted on the plans and work carried out could be dangerous for children playing.

Chris Taylor, 31, who has a three-year-old child and a 14-month-old toddler, said: “I’m speaking on behalf of four or five residents and we are annoyed that all those plans have been earmarked without any consultation.

“They’ve identified the land but they haven’t told us anything about it.

“Last night I went down with my three-year-old and there were about 10 pegs in the ground marking the land. That is dangerous, children could trip over them.

“The football pitch is really close to the site and when they dug up the ground at the weekend it got boggy because of the rain that we had and I’m worried for the kids that go there to get their balls.”

Mr Bramley said planning permission was not needed to carry out maintenance work and residents would be consulted when the planning application is lodged.

Facilities at the allotment site would include fencing, paths and a new access.

Parish councillors also agreed at a meeting on Monday to create a new community garden at Meadow Vale, near the allotments.

The project, of around £2,500, would be funded thanks to money left over from a £10,000 grant the village received last year from Allerdale council.

Mr Bramley said: “The idea is that members of the community who don’t want to have an allotment plot but still wanted to take part in joint gardening activities would have the chance to do so.”