Detailed plans for the next phase of the major redevelopment of Workington’s former steelworks site have been approved.

Persimmon Homes wants to build 650 homes on the former Corus steelworks site and has outline planning permission for the development.

Phase one will see 316 homes built and proposals for the first 225 homes were approved by Allerdale council in August.

The developer’s plans for the next 14 homes, plus amendment of 15 others, were approved by Allerdale council’s development panel today.

Panel members voted unanimously to approve both applications but added a condition to get more detail about the external finishing of the flats in the revised plans.

The amended 15 properties would be a mixture of two, three and four-bedroom houses and two-bedroom flats.

Workington Town Council recommended the amended plans for refusal due to concerns about parking, traffic, lack of green space and play provision. It also recommended the 14-home plan for refusal, raising concerns about road access and parking provision.

Cumbria police said the design and access statement for the amended plans did not show how crime had been considered as part of the development’s design.

The force also said additional lighting levels or surveillance opportunities could be provided in the 14-home plans.

Two emails of objection expressed concern over an increase of traffic on the A597 road and suggested housing should be provided for young residents and over-45s rather than more medium-sized family homes.

The site has been vacant since the steelworks closed in 2006.

The buildings were demolished in 2008 and the site was partially cleared after that.

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

The firm went into liquidation in 2011 and Persimmon took on the outline plans.