PLANS to build more homes at Harras Moor have been opposed by councillors – amid fears of a “creaking infrastructure”.

Members of Whitehaven Town Council have discussed an amended application to build 37 homes on land at Harras Road, put forward by John Swift Homes Ltd.

Councillor Graham Roberts fears a "legacy of mayhem" will be left for future generations as he raised concerns over increased traffic, drainage and overcrowding.

It is one of a number of housing schemes planned for Harras Moor - with plans to build 370 homes due to go before an extraordinary meeting of Copeland Council’s planning panel on August 16.

Cllr Roberts, who represents the Harras ward on Whitehaven Town Council, said: “There is no way that the road system will handle these developments.

“The drainage is inconsistent. The whole thing leads to overcrowding. There isn’t room for all these houses. It’s cramming in as many houses as they can to get the new homes bonus.

“There’s going to be very little greenbelt in the town if we carry on building more and more houses. It’s just going to become the city of Whitehaven and there’s no need for it.

“Who’s going to buy all these houses? I can’t see us ever getting an SMR at Moorside. I think that’s shot at now.”

Edwin Dinsdale, deputy mayor of Whitehaven, said: “There is a general feeling we are being ignored but we should carry on objecting. Our general position has got to remain firm. If we’re not careful, the town of Whitehaven is going to become the Whitehaven housing estate.”

Brian O’Kane, who represents Whitehaven North, said: “This whole issue is the development of that area of the town. There’s a potential for nearly 1,000 houses up there. I think it’s the area that is the objection.

“The road system can’t cope with what’s there. The traffic coming into town along an unclassified road, moving on to a road that is gridlocked at school times.

“That area is one of the key focuses of development but nobody seems to look at the infrastructure.

“This area was refused previously so you’ve just got to hope that the planning panel will look at the bigger picture.”

Ray Gill, who represents Sneckyeat South, said: “It will be a rat run. It’s a bad road. There’s a bottle neck right outside St James’ Junior School.”

Cllr Roberts added: “I have been up there when St Benedict’s and Mayfield School are coming in at school term time. The traffic was absolute mayhem.

“If this proposal went ahead, we are building up a legacy of mayhem for the future. It’s wrong to force this on to future generations. The road structure at the moment just won’t take it. We’ve got creaking infrastructure.”

Councillors voted to write to the developer, “strongly opposing” the development.

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