CONCERNS are held by a Copeland community about a planned development of homes in their area.

Copeland Borough Council received an application for permission in principal to build a new homes development in Moresby Parks in 2016.

Permission in principal was granted in 2017, followed by complaints from the community including the parish council.

The development has not taken place on the plot of land since the plans were approved, but in July Copeland Council received a further application from developer Raemore Developments Ltd.

They have submitted a reserved matters planning application for the site, detailing plans for 20 detached dwellings, sparking fresh opposition from members of the community. Earlier reporting of this planning application wrongly stated the developer had been given permission for the 20 homes on the site when in fact it was just outline permission.

A reserved matters application is submitted to agree the fine details of a development with the council when initial permission has been given.

Resident Eric Musgrave is one of the villagers speaking against the plans to build off School Brow, which he says would spoil one of the area’s natural vistas. “We’re not saying don’t build in Moresby because there’s plenty of brown field sites in Moresby. It’s about time we started to think about these developments. We can’t lose something forever like this, it would be sacrilege.”

Mr Musgrave is concerned there will be road safety issues due to an increase in traffic as the development encompasses Moresby School.

“What they’re saying is once we’ve got initial planning permission for a bit of land that’s it but nothings happened for five years on this plot of land. The road traffic here has changed.”

An adoptable road layout has been submitted in the developer’s latest application. The applicant has promised that drainage will be carried out in accordance with principles set out in the submitted flood risk assessment.

In a letter to the council, publicly available in the planning application documents, agent Addis Town Planning Limited said: “It is likely that future applications will be submitted to amend the design on each site by the prospective purchasers.”

The developer declined to comment until after the consultation on their current planning application.

The community can comment on planning applications via the borough council website.