PLANS for 57 homes have been given the greenlight after the developer appeased residents' traffic concerns.

Planning permission was granted for 57 homes off Lowmoor Road in Wigton at a meeting on December 1.

Gleeson Homes say that their development, known as Chimes Bank, will transform the site into "beautiful, high quality, low cost two, three and four bedroom semi-detached and detached homes."

They expect the offering to be "highly desirable" with price tags beginning at just under £112,000 for a two bedroom home.

The developer had to review the impact new homes could have on road safety as part of the planning process.

Allerdale Borough Council's planning panel on November 23, heard road safety concerns from residents about the loss of a mini-roundabout, and a perceived lack of crossing points.

Councillors decided to put-off making a decision on the application so that the developer could make arrangements to address concerns.

At the meeting of the planning panel in December, councillors heard that a Road Safety Audit had been carried out in response to the concerns.

The audit raised the lack of crossing points on Lowmoor Road as an issue and the developer responded accordingly, agreeing to "provide flush crossings for pedestrians and non-motorised users on both sides of Lowmoor Road."

A pond is included in the plans and concerns were raised during the consultation period that people could fall in from the footpath. Gleeson Homes agreed to provide suitable fencing in the area in response.

After considering the plans for a second time, the developer also agreed that "the existing speed restriction should be moved to the east and made more visible to drivers."

Gleeson Homes has also struck a Section 106 agreement with the council, which means that plans can go ahead if they pay £11,092 towards upgrading the existing children's play area at Vulcan Park, £4,500 toward extending the 30mph zone and providing a gateway feature to the town.

Six affordable homes will be included in the development, ring fenced for first-time buyers.

Kirk Thompson, Operations Director at Gleeson said: “We are thrilled to be commencing work in Wigton. We are committed to ensuring that the housing market better serves young first time buyers and families on low to average incomes and with several buying schemes to be made available at Chimes Bank, homeownership will become a reality for many.

“We are looking forward to working with the local community and we will be looking to employ a 65 strong workforce that mainly comprises of local labour, including apprentices, and contractors.”