A proposal to build 45 new homes at Little Corby looks set to be approved at the second time of asking.

Womble Bond Dickinson’s application for outline planning permission to develop a field off Little Corby Road which has been allocated for housing in the Carlisle City Council's adopted Local Plan was recommended for approval at the council’s first virtual development meeting on April 25.

Councillors elected to defer the decision as they remained “unconvinced” by the plans – which prompted 31 letters of objection from surrounding residents and two in support, as well as concerns from Hayton parish council – and are now set to consider the plans virtually again today.

The development, which would be made up of 23 detached and 22 semi-detached houses with a footpath and access road also set to be created, is still recommended for approval, subject to an agreement that the developer will contribute £171,878 toward additional places at William Howard School, £38,000 toward school transport, £8,606 to upgrade existing off-site sports pitches and £5,500 toward the extending of a 30mph speed limit past the site.

They must also ensure that 30 per cent of the homes are affordable and maintain the open space within the site.

The vast issues raised by objectors included: lack of need for the houses; excessive traffic; noise pollution; and destruction of greenspace used often by wildlife.

Those in support of the development felt it would provide custom for shops, cafes and other businesses, as well as younger families and buyers being given affordable housing options.

Although the plans were recommended for approval last month, councillors expressed concern about the safety of pedestrians on the proposed footpath and flooding on the road past the development.

Hayton parish council had also objected to the application on the grounds of accessibility on foot and concerns about the proposed footpath and how suitable it would be, the safety of increased traffic on the road as a result of the development, and the potential for flooding at a low point on the road.

A report prepared by the council's planning department ahead of today's meeting said: "Any sites that were deemed to be unsuitable for residential development for highway reasons were not allocated as housing sites."

The report also referred to an independent highway assessment carried out during the consideration of a previous planning application to build 89 homes on the site which determined access from Little Corby Road for a development limited to 45 houses would be "feasible".

Cumbria County Council, as the lead local flood authority, raised no objections.