CONFIDENCE is growing among residents to slam the brakes on a highly controversial housing development.

The Trustees of the Copsey family have applied to Allerdale council for outline planning permission to build 100 homes at Low Seaton.

The family had already gained permission to build 100 homes last year, but now they say the latest plans would replace the ones previously approved.

However the county council's highways department and flood authority have recommended the project for refusal.

The residents' group has raised concerns about increased traffic congestion and flooding the new estate would cause. Almost 90 letters of objection have been sent to Allerdale council since it launched a consultation on the proposal.

The new proposed estate would be located on a part of the field where the Copsey family already gained permission and a new part of the field, to the East of the village.

When plans for the development were approved last year, the access was to be created by demolishing part of the former Royal British Legion Club, now The Grayson.

However, now the Copsey family plans a new access by demolishing Hill Farm, on Causeway Road.

But the county council has recommended the proposal for refusal because it deems the impact on traffic safety unacceptable.

The highways department's response said the application purports to be the same as the previous with minor changes, however this was not the case in their view.

Gavin Murray, development management officer, said: "It was accepted in the previous application that we could not prove the impact in highway safety terms as severe. It is however our view that the impact of this development on the traffic safety in Seaton will be unacceptable.

"The increased volume of traffic will increase the risk to pedestrians and other road users’ safety

exponentially on this constrained network. It is also our view that this impact cannot be mitigated to

an acceptable degree. We therefore have no alternative but to recommend refusal for the following reason."

The county council, as lead local flood authority, also raised concernes about the site's drainage strategy.

In its response it said inadequate information had been provided.

Danny Horsley, who has been at the forefront of the residents' Low Seaton Anti Development group campaign, said: "This is what we tried to say from day one and we weren't exaggerating. It's good that the county council is now right on side with us, when I read their objections it was like one of us had written it, which is really encouraging - it's common sense.

"This has put a bit of confidence our way, but we're not backing down, we're continuing to fight and we're working to present our evidence at the development panel in the new year.

"All the Copsey family wants is maximum profit and maximum impact, while they move away and let people deal with that impact."