PLANS for up to 65 new homes near Whitehaven have been approved.

Nigel Kay Homes had applied for planning permission to develop a site on land off Dalzell Street, Moor Row, and the application contained proposed access details with other matters to be decided at a later date.

Members of Cumberland Council's planning committee decided to follow the planning officer's recommendation to approve the application subject to securing an agreement that 10 per cent of the homes be affordable.

It was put before the committee at the Civic Centre in Carlisle because the site was larger than two hectares in area and the application was deferred at the last meeting in September so members could have a site visit.

The planning report states: "This application relates to an area of land located to the northern edge of Moor Row, which is accessed from Dalzell Street.

"The irregular shaped site extents eastwards towards the River Keekle and covers an area of approximately 4.1 hectares.

"It comprises agricultural land and the former Moor Row goods yard to the south of the site with all previous commercial buildings now demolished.

"The site is separated from the existing built form of Moor Row by the Whitehaven to Cleator Moor section of the C2C cycleway, which is set in a former railway cutting.

"An exiting tree belt to the south of the site also separates the site from the existing built form of the village."

The outline application sought to establish the principle of developing the site for residential purposes for up to 65 dwellings.

The report states: "Although all matters relating to plot layout, scale, appearance, and landscaping are reserved for subsequent approval the application does include full details of the proposed access.

"A total of 10 per cent of the dwellings are to be affordable. A detailed plan has been submitted with this application to show how access can be achieved from Dalzell Street which runs along the west of the application site.

"Access to the site will be via a 5.5m wide carriageway with a 3m wide shared path to the northern side of the access road only, extending north along Dalzell Street.

"The proposed access will have visibility splays of 2.4m x 171m to the north and 2.4m by 76m to the south.

"The proposal also shows the siting of three speed cushions located on Dalzell Street located on the road to the south of the application site running back into Moor Row village, however the location and type of proposed traffic calming will be determined at the detailed design stage.

"The proposal provides pedestrian and cycle access to Moor Row via the NCN Route 72 located to the south of the application site.

"The existing access to the former station yard from Dalzell Street will be retained for access to third party land to the south.

"Whilst all matters relating to scale, appearance and layout are reserved for subsequent approval a landscape parameters plan has been submitted to show how the site could be developed to accommodate 65 dwellings.

"This plan demonstrates how the site could be accessed, landscaped, and how it could accommodate a public open space."