PLANS for more homes on a landmark Cockermouth site should be refused, say town councillors and the civic trust.

Bob Slack, of The Fitz, a listed Georgian mansion, already has approval for 16 homes in his grounds off Low Road. He has since submitted a planning application to Allerdale Council for 11 more.

The town's civic trust claims the application "will have measurable and significant impact on the listed asset and the approach in to town".

Councillors claim the plans represent overdevelopment and are concerned about the loss of views of The Fitz and increase in traffic.

Councillor Alan Smith said: "This application gives me concerns. We have a big housing development down there. He has plans for houses, now he's come back with more, right on to the show field.

"This is becoming building creep, what's down there is enough."

Councillor Alan Tyson said: "I'm concerned about loss of views of The Fitz."

Councillor Rebecca Hanson said: "It uses land not designated for housing in Local Plan Part 2."

They agreed to recommend refusal on the basis of: overdevelopment of site, detrimental to the setting of a listed building, oversupply contrary to local plan policy.

The Civic Trust has objected to the plans. It stated: "The proposed application constitutes considerable overdevelopment.

"Whilst the last approved application was unacceptable use of open parkland it was sufficiently distant from the Fitz Manor and only occupied a small portion of existing parkland.

"This application, however, seeks to double the area of development requiring a significant portion of the existing parkland to be developed.

"The increased use of existing parkland that surrounds the Fitz Manor and provides an open green landscape on the edge of the main settlement area of Cockermouth will have measurable and significant impact on the listed asset and the approach in to town."

Councillors also recommended refusal of an application by Mr Slack for permission to create office units on Low Road, between The Laureates and the Waste Water Treatment Works.

Councillor Rebecca Hanson said: "I'm not at all comfortable with this. The original proposing for housing had a greenway and screening, to change that and have this put in is not good."

Councillor Eric Nicholson said: "It's too near the sewage works. It would be much better if it was industrial kind of usage but options are limited with houses nearby."

Councillor David Malloy said: "I would rather it is an amenity for the estate as it's a huge big estate. It could be somewhere for the kids to play."

They recommended refusal on the basis it's too near the sewage works and should remain an exclusion zone. They said screening should be required.