Last updated at 12:32, Friday, 14 September 2012

A West Cumbrian businessman has been given the go-ahead to build houses in Great Clifton – 10 years after he submitted his first planning application.

John Elliot, managing director of John Elliot Ltd, lodged plans for 18 homes off William Street, which were approved by Allerdale council’s development panel on Tuesday.

Nine other applications have been submitted for housing there in the last decade, and several of the refusals have been taken to unsuccessful appeals.

Mr Elliott, of Crossbarrow, hopes work will start to build them next month.

He said: “I am absolutely delighted. I have spent about 10 years trying to get these homes approved and they will be right in the heart of the village where people want them. The parish council pushed to get the land back into the parish boundary.”

In 2008 he presented a 1,500-name petition to Allerdale council calling for more houses in the village.

He said that the land, which he has owned for over 20 years, was taken out of the parish boundary around 15 years ago and was classed as a greenfield site, but the development boundary has since been changed to include the site.

The development will include 11 two-bedroom, four three-bedroom and three four-bedroom houses.

Two of the two-bedroom homes will be for social rent and one two-bedroom home will be for low cost home ownership.

Allerdale council officers recommended the latest plan after planning policy changed in favour of “sustainable” development.

The approval is subject to a legal document between the council and Mr Elliott, stating that affordable housing will be incorporated into the plans. Mr Elliott said that three or four of the 18 homes will be affordable.

First published at 11:54, Friday, 14 September 2012
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk