Last updated at 12:46, Friday, 28 September 2012

Brigham Parish Council has objected to plans for a £5.5 million housing development in the village.

Social landlord Home Group wants to create the 35-home estate on land to the east of Ellerbeck Brow, but councillors said they feared it would increase the volume of traffic through the village.

At a special meeting on Monday, members said they were also concerned about access to the site and questioned whether the village needed more housing.

It was also revealed earlier this month that private developer Kirkcross Developments wants to build 50 homes on the Kirkcross Quarry site in Brigham.

Council chairman Brian Earley said: “Looking at each plan in isolation would be a mistake.

“We’re aware there are a number of plans and potential sites which would have an effect on the village.

“We have to consider the incremental creep of the amount of housing that the village could end up with, not just from the Ellerbeck scheme but if other schemes are granted planning permission.

“Planners need to take into account the impact of not just the Ellerbeck scheme but all of the schemes that are put forward, including the Kirkcross scheme.

“We need the planners to seriously consider whether there is a need for more affordable housing in this village.

“The Fitz development has already been given the go-ahead about a mile down the road, there are two affordable homes at the former police headquarters which haven’t sold yet, and there are already rental properties within the village.”

Home Group’s plans include 12 homes for rent, 12 for shared ownership and 11 for open market sale.

The social landlord said that the open market houses would subsidise the affordable homes.

Of the 24 rented and shared ownership homes, 12 would be two-bedroom and 12 would be three-bedroom and be a mixture of semi detached and terraced housing.

Of the 11 open market houses there would be one three-bedroom detached bungalow, three three-bedroom detached houses, five four-bedroom houses and two four-bedroom detached houses.

Each house would have two off-road parking spaces.

Home Group plans to work with Flimby firm Thomas Armstrong to build the houses.

More than 70 letters of objection have been submitted to Allerdale council. Brigham council handed in its objection on Tuesday.

l Home Group letter – Page 10

First published at 11:56, Friday, 28 September 2012
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk