AN Ulverston firefighter has won a planning battle to build a house for his family.

Father-of-three Oliver Prosser, of Birkett Drive, applied to self-build a dormer bungalow on a field off Carley Lane near the former isolation hospital.

His earlier application to build up to two houses was rejected in February by South Lakeland District Council planners.

The committee told him it preferred a single house and encouraged him to reapply.

But at a meeting in Kendal on Thursday, some planning committee members rowed back on the earlier pledge.

They proposed the new application be refused because it was contrary to new policies and near a busy road.

But Mr Prosser’s planning agent, Kate Bellwood said his current home was too small and there was a pressing need to live close to his parents who were in declining health.

No-one spoke against the plan and the committee voted to accept the officer’s recommendation and agree the new property.