A developer is appealing a council’s decision to reject a bid to alter the plans to a controversial residential complex.

Carlisle-based Citadel Estates has had a number of planning applications turned down by Carlisle City Council in relation to its Skelton Court development in Wetheral.

The firm was granted permission in 2012 to redevelop the former Skelton House farm building into 15 flats.

However, since then Citadel has lodged a number of applications to amend parts of the original plans – including a bid to create extra flats and change the layout.

The applications have drawn criticism from residents – who set up a group called Save Wetheral Village – that believe the developer has used minor amendment applications to increase the size and build additional apartments.

In May Carlisle City Council issued an enforcement notice, claiming Citadel Estates had made 10 breaches to the approved plans.

This included issues relating to the layout and number of flats within the development, car parking, landscaping, bin storage and insertion of double glazed uPVC window units throughout the whole of the development.

The developer has now lodged an appeal with the secretary of state against the enforcement notice and four other planning application rejections.

In the official documents produced by the city council, Citadel Estates said it was appealing the enforcement notice because “planning permission should be granted for what is alleged in the notice”.

The city council said it felt it needed to take enforcement action, in part, because: “The combination of alterations to the roof structure including the revised landscaping scheme and parking layout, the use of PVCu windows and the location of the bin store, omission of the pedestrian gates on the southern boundary and installation of vehicular and pedestrian entry gates do not respond to the local character and context of this prominent site within the Wetheral Conservation Area.

“The proposal is therefore contrary to... national planning policy framework.”

A spokeswoman for Save Wetheral Village said: “The government inspector is the best way to go because its a completely independent person looking at it.

“[Citadel Estates] has been refused the applications time and time again, and variations of these applications time and time again. We think he should comply with the enforcement notice.

“All we want is him to build what he’s got permission for and he hasn’t done that. He’s built something that’s already been refused several times.”