Angry residents have hit out at plans for a new housing development, claiming they have been misled.

Carlisle-based Reiver Homes has submitted plans to build 19 homes on a patch of land near Lansdowne Close in Stanwix, just a short distance from a site where Persimmon was given permission for a 229-home development last year.

But residents say that when they spoke to a representative from Story Contracting – Reiver's parent company – during a site visit, they were told that 13 homes could be built on the land.

David Bell, whose home overlooks the site, said: “I spoke to someone from Story when he came to visit the site and he said that they were going to build 13 homes. He also said we'd get to look at the plans before they were submitted and that simply hasn't been the case.

“There's already a section on the Reiver Homes website mentioning the development when they haven't even got planning permission yet, which I don't think is right.”

Residents have also expressed concern that access to the site is not suitable, with documents revealing that Reiver wants to create a small road between two existing houses.

Mr Bell added that the planned access would create all sorts of problems for those already living in Lansdowne Close. “I can't think how they'd get vehicles in and out of the site down that road. It's nowhere near wide enough,” he told the News & Star.

“If there's 19 homes, when they're built then they could have two cars each, so that's 38 in total going in and out of such a small area. It's going to cause chaos. It doesn't seem like there's been any consideration given to people living here.

“It'd make more sense for access to go through the Persimmon development rather than through Lansdowne Close.”

Brenda Bullamore, who also lives in Lansdowne Close with her husband George, added: “There's no way that you'll be able to get emergency vehicles into the site because the road isn't wide enough. It's the same for refuse collection.

“We've got two grandchildren and there are other people living here with children who sometimes ride bikes in the street. It just isn't safe.”

A spokesperson for Reiver Homes said they was unavailable to comment.