A leading west Cumbrian councillor has promised to hold a housing developer to account, as one of the area's biggest developments in decades is about to get bigger.

Persimmon Homes , which is behind plans for 650 homes at the former Corus Rail site, has applied to Allerdale council for a further 14 homes to be built on the land at Mossbay.

Barbara Cannon, who represents the area on the town and district council, said: "I will press for a high quality development there.

"Because it's built in stages, the risk is not taking that bird's-eye view on the whole thing.

"I want to see decent amenity space for residents including play areas for children, I want adequate pavement and footpaths, adequate room for cars to be parked safely, good access across the entire site, especially for pedestrians, and decent street lighting."

Mrs Cannon's comments come after it emerged that Persimmon had not initially complied with a planning condition to build a play area at Forgehill Park, where it built 92 homes.

After originally applying to Allerdale Council to withdraw the requirement, the company subsequently agreed to find a suitable site following a campaign by residents.

Mrs Cannon said: "This is the single biggest development happening in my ward in decades: it's got to be right for the people who will live there and for the town.

"When you look down the hills you see the scar where the steelworks were, that scar is going to disappear and what will go there has to look good and be of quality.

"Forgehill was planned a long time ago and in the process a lot of changes were made and changes add up over time.

"I'm looking at pictures of the ground where the development is going to be and, as it progresses, things Persimmon hadn't anticipated will come up and compromises and amendments will have to be made.

"It's for the planning department to monitor the situation but councillors need to be keeping an eye on it too.

"I expect the best possible scheme. I welcomed the scheme when it was first announced and I still welcome it."

Persimmon already has outline permission from Allerdale Council to build two, three and four-bedroom houses and two-bedroom flats on the 20-acre site at Mossbay.

Work to clean up the area started last year and construction of the first 250 homes is already underway, with the first homes due to be delivered in November.

But the developer was forced to submit an additional planning application for further 14 homes off Adams Road as part of the first phase of the development, after issues with ownership of the land.

A spokesman for the company said: "We have submitted a full application for part of phase one of the redevelopment of the former Corus steelworks site.

"The application was not included with the rest of our phase one planning as the original outline permission did not include all of this area as it was owned by a separate company, an issue rectified during the sale of the steelworks.

"The application will fill in a gap left in the original planning permission."

Plans to develop the site, which closed in 2007, were first lodged nine years ago by Eatonfield Developments Limited, who were granted planning permission for an £80 million seaside community.

But the firm went into liquidation in 2011 and Persimmon took over the outline plans.

Allerdale council has launched a consultation into the plans for the extra 14 homes at the site and people can have their say until March 16.