Unanimous approval has been given to two Copeland housing schemes.

Copeland Council's planning panel, has met this week, and approved plans for 65 homes at Cleator Moor and nine homes at Rheda Park.

Outline permission has been granted for High Grange Developments Ltd to build a 65-home residential development on land at Keekle Meadow.

A report from Copeland's planning officers said: "This is considered to be an acceptable outline proposal which will provide additional housing land in a substantial location to meet existing housing needs.''

A mix of homes - including large scale family homes and bungalows - are proposed to complement the existing range of housing that has already been approved or constructed by the developer on the earlier phases of the scheme.

Cleator Moor Town Council has raised concerns that the nearby road, at the point of access, is not wide enough to accommodate the proposed changes, and there is inadequate visibility at the junction and lack of "pedestrian refuge''.

One letter of objection has been received by the council about the proposals.

Plans for nine new executive homes on land to the west of Rheda Park have also been approved.

The proposals, put forward by Mr J Reed, is for the houses to be set in "substantial gardens'' within "the confines of the existing tree belt that is characteristic of the estate''.

Six letters of objection have been received from current residents at Rheda Park.

Their main concerns were that a single track road which runs through the estate is "poor and contains large pot holes which are dangerous'' and there are inadequate passing places available on the track.

However, Copeland planning officers said the application fit in with the council's "aspirations to welcome executive-type homes''.

Copeland's planning panel visited both sites before making their decision about the proposals.

  • Copeland Council planners have also agreed to visit of a proposed housing development near a former opencast mine and a busy road in Whitehaven.

North Associates, on behalf of the landowner, has applied for outline planning permission for the two-phase development which consists of 10 larger detached homes at Harras Moor and 100 properties on land off Harras Road, near Whitehaven Golf Club.