Last updated 09:58, Saturday, 19 April 2008

COCKERMOUTH Town Council has recommended refusing an application for affordable social housing in the town centre.

Impact Housing has submitted plans to knock down the old Market Hall depot and build eight new houses.

After a heated discussion at last night’s town council meeting four councillors voted for the application and five voted against.

Coun Alan Smith, who moved approval, said: "It ticks all the boxes in the Allerdale improvement plan.

"There are not enough houses for rent. I think we should let Allerdale council sort out the parking issues. We need to go forward and get some houses for rent.

"Regarding car parking, I went round the town and there were 135 spaces on Monday. That’s not including off-street parking. We have enough spaces."

Coun Alan Kennon, who did not support the scheme, said: "This isn’t an area for houses. For any other application you have to have one-and-a-half car parking spaces for each house.

"There are potentially going to be 16 cars there. I can’t see the rush to build houses on it. Why not knock it down and make it into an auxiliary car park for workers in the town?

"What ever Alan Smith says there is a shortage of car parking spaces. It is going to be a missed opportunity to have more car parking in the town. It could be used for extra markets. Allerdale council would get revenue off it from now until doomsday. I think it is the wrong place at the wrong time."

Coun Eric Nicholson said: "I think it is completely inappropriate place to build houses. It is sad that this is the last place that could be put to community use. I haven’t found anyone to support it. I know we keep going on about affordable housing. It would be far better to use it for community space."

Coun Isabel Burns said: "These houses are for rent. We need houses that kids can use for rented accommodation."

Coun Sam Standage said: "We need affordable social housing, but for some reason we always turn it down.We are here to represent the people of Cockermouth not our own private thoughts."

The town council’s views will be noted by Allerdale Borough Council. Members of the development panel will decide on the outcome of the application at a date yet to be fixed.