A major new housing estate is planned for west Cumbria..

Seventy-three homes are earmarked for the former station yard in Moor Row and a neighbouring empty field, on land off Dalzell Street.

The outline application – newly lodged with Copeland Council – is in addition to 26 homes already proposed is a separate scheme for the village, on land off Scalegill Road.

The council is inviting comments on the new nine-acre development as it falls outside an area currently designated for housing.

The issue of traffic has long been an issue in Moor Row, with the primary school joining the police in campaigning for lower speeds. And Lena Hoog, deputy mayor of Copeland and councillor for Egremont, has urged local concerns to be taken into account when the application goes before planners.

She said: "I have always said I welcome new buildings, but only if the general health and safety of the village – and any impacts on the village –are assessed and local input considered.

"In this case, there should be a traffic impact assessment carried out and all areas of impacts considered, as to the possible over-population of the village school. I feel sure all of the above will be considered as part of the planning process."

When the previous 26-home development was proposed, Moor Row School's Joanne McCourt said that more families and children in the village is "good for the school" but added the main problem with traffic is caused by commuters "using the village as a shortcut" to avoid the main roads.

She said: "From 3pm until about 6pm, the traffic in the village is awful – it's nose to tail. It's also a hotspot for accidents with cars going double and almost triple the speed limit.

"If we have more people and more cars it could make it worse, but the real problem is trying to educate drivers to stick to the speed limit and realise there is a school here."