A major expansion of a caravan park near Carlisle has been approved.

Green Meadows Country Park owner Patrick Lee had applied to Carlisle City Council for permission to expand onto land west of the existing park at Blackford with 25 new static caravans and space for up to 27 touring caravans and 20 tents, as well as two new water features.

Mr Lee's application was unanimously approved by the council's development control committee at a virtual meeting yesterday.

Councillor Pamela Birks said: "It's really good to see people developing tourism in the area and bringing more people into the area, especially when we are looking at staycations because of COVID-19."

Westlinton parish council said it could not support the application because of concerns about the effect on the feel of the community, safety on the nearby A7 and surface water drainage.

They said: "An additional 25 static caravans to the 37 already given permission for would almost overwhelm the housing existing in the parish and change the whole feel of this rural community.

"On the plans it says they are holiday homes but no mention of holiday is made on the main sign on the A7.

"Allowing for two cars per pitch will substantially affect the flow of traffic onto A7 at a junction that has had to be altered radically because of accidents and deaths."

Coun Birks agreed that that section of the A7 was "notorious" and questioned whether traffic would be safe.

Planning officer Barbara Percival said she envisaged only sporadic traffic to and from the site and confirmed that Cumbria County Council as the local highways authority had raised no issues.

The parish council also said the existing surface water drainage system was inadequate, with water flowing across the A7 after rain, but the county council as the lead local flood authority said records showed there was only a 1-in-1,000 chance of minor flooding each year.

Councillor Anne Glendinning, who moved the recommendation to approve the application, felt the conditions attached were sufficient to cover the issues.

She said: "Looking at all of the conditions, I am happy to move the officer's recommendation to approve this."