An ambitious project in West Cumbria, which would create carbon neutral living on land at Broughton Moor's former armaments depot, is now ready to share long term plans for the future of the site.

Derwent Forest Development Consortium will be putting their vision of the future of the site out for public consultation over the next few weeks.

Since January, the consortium has been working on the Derwent Forest Masterplan - a strategic plan and framework document which looks at the development of the site as a whole.

The masterplan will show how the 71 homes and visitor centre will sit within the wider plans for the site.

Executive chairman of the consortium, Nigel Catterson, said: "We are going through the process to submit another plan for further woodland planting – seven hectares in total which will be incorporated in the next phase.

"We are committed to further forestry planting on the site. We will create wildlife corridors throughout the site and the development will fit within it. Wildlife and nature will be in equal distribution. We are hoping to achieve a Passivhaus build by keeping carbon neutral.

"Our ambition is still the same, to create sufficient energy to power itself, generate food and take care of the waste. I have been pursuing this dream since 1995.

"As time has gone on it has become even more relevant."

Architect, Dylan Jones, added: "We have worked closely with the local authority, and our masterplanning team and experts, Allies & Morrison to deliver this strong working framework."

Key stakeholders will be invited to a live web event on December 14. This event will mark the start of a month long virtual community consultation, using a dedicated project information website and online survey.

The wider public will be able to view the masterplan by following a link to the website of planning consultant, WYG, when it becomes operational. This will be at: www.wyg.com/planning/consultations

Nigel added that once the consultation is launched, it will stay online for a month.

The Royal Navy bought 425 acres in 1938, six years after the colliery there closed. The navy built a naval arms depot in 1939 and used it until 1992.

It remained vacant until Allerdale and the county councils bought the site in 2008. Derwent Forest Development Consortium, led by Nigel Catterson, took on the site a few years later.