PLANS are under way to build a total of 42 homes on Cockermouth's former fire HQ site.

West Cumbrian businessman Bill Dobie already has approval for 23 apartments on the site off Station Road. He applied to Allerdale Council this week for permission to build a further 13 detached houses on the site.

To provide the affordable homes allocation for the site he will also be submitting plans for an apartment block of six one-bedroom homes.

Mr Dobie hopes to build nine five-bedroomed houses and four four-bedroomed homes.

Another part of the site, land off Rubbybanks Road, is to be developed concurrently to provide the affordable homes allocation for the overall site.

"This is subject to a separate planning application," he said.

Work to convert the former fire HQ building into 23 two and three-bedroomed apartments and tidy up the site is due to start later this month.

"We have seen West Cumberland Farmers' new development and Lidl is on its way. Work is being done on the cenotaph and we will be tidying up this area," said Mr Dobie.

"We want to improve a neglected site and bring it back to life as an integral part of the town."