Plans for a controversial 15-home estate on an allotment site in Maryport have been approved.

Allerdale council’s planning panel initially voted six against and five in favour, however after receiving advice from officers during an adjournment which was not part of the public meeting, they voted the plans through by nine votes to one.

The scheme on the mostly-greenfield land behind Moor House, Ellenborough, sparked 38 letters of objection, with concerns raised by residents over loss of privacy, allotments and parking.

Janet Farebrother, Labour councillor for Broughton St Bridgets, raised a motion to oppose the plans but withdrew it following a conversation with Kevin Kerrigan, Head of Development Services, during the break.

She said: “Since I moved refusal I have had a discussion with officers, very helpfully. I think I would like to withdraw that motion in the sense that there are not enough specific reasons for refusing it.

“There are so many reserved matters that have to be dealt with in the future that it’s not possible now to be specific on the grounds for refusal although I understand quite a few colleagues are uncomfortable about some aspects relating to the allotments and the highways.”

During the meeting, Mr Kerrigan told councillors it “was not enough” to be able to quote a policy to reject a planning application – they needed to demonstrate specifically how a development failed to meet the criteria.

Peter Kendall, speaking on behalf of Maryport Town Council, was among those speaking against the proposals earlier in the meeting.

He listed several housing developments which had been approved with “no movement” on the construction phase.

He said: “We would like to see no more housing development approvals until the said sites are built upon. These have stood for many years with approval.

“There is nothing to say, in years to come, if the deeds for those particular (allotment) plots are not granted in ownership to the people of Marsh Terrace, it will just become overspill carpark for the new houses in that development.

He added: “There is a massive waiting list for allotments. Maryport town council must have a 15-year waiting list and we believe that investment into this is more worthy than this development, bearing in mind the sites granted approval that have yet to be developed.”

An agent for the developer said that issues including the safeguarding of allotments and parking provision would be dealt with at a later stage. She stressed that the design was “just an indicative layout” and concerns would be addressed when “reserved matters” were discussed.

The plans which will see the demolition of Moor House and building on an allotment site though the proposals also includes the creation of some replacement plots to offset the loss.