PLANS to develop a Whitehaven site to accommodate up to 40 self-build plots have been approved.

An application had been submitted to Cumberland Council from John Swift Homes to develop a site on land south west of Summergrove Park.

The application was for outline planning permission and included details of the proposed access with all other matters to be decided at a later date.

It was placed before the council's planning committee at the Civic Centre in Carlisle because the site was larger than two hectares in area and it had been deferred since a meeting in September so councillors could visit the site.

It was recommended that the application should be approved subject to securing an agreement that 15 per cent of the properties should be classed as affordable housing.

The planning report states: "The application site comprises circa 5.25 hectares of land located to the south of Summergrove Park.

"The application site comprises an area of greenfield land which is currently used for agricultural grazing purposes.

"The application site comprises two parcels of land separated and enclosed by mature planting.

"The application site is bounded by the residential development of Summergrove Park to the north; Westlakes Science Park to the south; Summergrove Hall and agricultural land to the west; and, the disused Galemire Quarry, agricultural land and Dalzell Street to the east."

According to the report the site is located within Flood Zone 1 and the disused quarry comprises potentially contaminated land due to its previous use for landfill.

The report states: "The trees located to the west of the Application Site are the subject of a Tree Preservation Order."