Developer Story Homes wants to hear from the public on its plans to build hundreds more houses on an estate north of Carlisle.

The house builder is currently readying to ask for planning permission to expand its Crindledyke estate by up to 666 homes.

Originally given outline permission to build up to 850 homes on the estate, just to the north of Carlisle, Story have so far built 184 homes at Crindledyke.

This first phase of house building was completed in 2017.

Before Story Homes can continue with its Crindledyke project, it must submit a further application to Carlisle City Council for planning permission to built the remaining 666 homes originally proposed for the housing estate.

Ahead of submitting the application, Story Homes is running a consultation in which it will field opinion from the public on their plans to expand the estate.

To kickstart this process, the developer held a community consultation event yesterday to field opinions on their fresh proposals.

Story Homes’ draft proposals include the creation of public spaces, including a local centre and central green.

Footpath and cycle ways will also link the estate to existing networks and connect to nearby shops like Asda on Chandler Way.

Colin Wood, chief operating officer at Story Homes, said it was “imperative” the developer gauged opinion from the public on how its developments should look.

“The valuable feedback we receive from the local community will help inform the masterplan and planning application ahead of its submission to the City Council in spring.”

Mr Wood added that as part of the development, the firm had been in negotiation with Carlisle City Council and Cumbria County Council to explore how it can “best support education provision in north Carlisle”.

The developer has faced criticism in the past for indicating the original plans to build a new primary school on the estate would not go ahead.

Story Homes has said it asked permission from the Department for Education to build a free school at Crindledyke in 2015 - something it says the DfE deemed “unsustainable”.

Story boss Fred Story said last year that the company was looking at providing a financial contribution towards a new school at Windsor Way in north Carlisle - something the firm appears to now be committing to as a course of action.

Mr Wood said: “A substantial off-site financial contribution is now being proposed to make up the shortfall in funding to deliver a new primary school off Windsor Way to serve north Carlisle.

“An Education Impact Assessment has been carried out to support this proposal.”