PLANS have been revealed for a huge housing development which would see 600 homes built on the former Marchon site.

At a public meeting, residents voiced concerns over the scheme put forward by Persimmon Homes, to build 450 houses on the empty factory site and another 150 behind Story Homes’ Waters Edge development.

Two access points will be created on High Road and the plans include a small commercial development opportunity.

There will also be “increased landscaping buffer” to the proposed mine to the south and “enhanced green connections” centred around the existing rights of way through to the coastal routes.

Residents are worried about contaminated land, increased traffic and a lack of school places.

Carolann Spooner, who lives at Waters Edge, said: “It’s terrible. When we bought the house we were told nothing else would be built in front of us because the land is so contaminated.

“The roads can’t cope. There’s enough trouble with drainage.

“It’s shocking. I’ll be protesting against it.”

One worried resident, who lives at Magellan Park, said: “All I’m bothered about is the traffic and the contamination.

“Another 600 houses - what is that road going to be like? We have just seen the road get gradually busier and busier.

“I worked at Marchon and I’m bothered that the site needs to be spotlessly clean. There were a lot of dangerous chemicals.

“I’m concerned about accommodating school children. It’s the overload of people to the area. Can the area cope?”

Another resident, who lives near Seacliffe Pharmacy, said: “I don’t agree with it. We don’t have the infrastructure. The schools are full. People are having to take their kids outside of the catchment area.

“This is a step too far, with all the houses that have been built around here.”

Andrew Laing, land director at Persimmon Homes, said the site will be remediated as part of the scheme.

He said they were also in discussion with Cumbria County Council about how they would contribute towards a primary school.

Traffic surveys have been carried out and the housing developer is now looking at the impact that the additional traffic would have on the roads.

A spokesman for Persimmon Homes said: “Plans for the redevelopment of the former Marchon detergent factory in Whitehaven are at a very early stage.

“We are currently working to develop a masterplan covering the former factory and land to the north.

“We aim to submit a hybrid application in spring with detailed planning for the first 100 new homes, with outline planning on the rest of the site.”

The Marchon factory closed in 2005 and the final building was demolished in 2012. Whitehaven Developments now owns the land.

The southern part of the Marchon site is earmarked for a new £165m coal mine, with a planning application submitted by West Cumbria Mining (WCM) – which leases the land off Whitehaven Developments currently lodged with the county council.