A TOTAL of 23 new homes could be built in Kirkbride if the proposal gets planning permission.
Eden Home Solutions has applied to Cumberland Council to build the development at The Piggeries, Bridge Hill, Kirkbride.
As well as the new buildings, the application is for associated infrastructure including landscaping, open space, access, highways, and drainage design.
The empty land covers an area of 0.75 hectares and it is described as a "brown field site" for which the last use was unknown.
According to the planning application, the buildings would consist of five two-bedroom properties, 10 three-bedroom properties and eight properties with at least four bedrooms.
And, according to a planning statement, the site is located on land to the east of the local service centre of Kirkbride and is immediately next to the existing built form of the settlement.
It states that Kirkbride is identified as a 'larger village', with more limited range of services, but all have a school, shop and public transport.
It adds: "These villages would accommodate a smaller scale of housing development that will help contribute towards maintaining the vitality of the settlement.
"In combination the local service centres (LSCs) will receive up to 20 per cent of housing growth. In addition, a small level of employment land may be required to meet local needs for small flexible premises and shared facility units such as workhubs.”
Kirkbride is six miles north of Wigton and 12 miles west of Carlisle and the report states that its location therefore provides 'great access' to key local service centres.
The report states: "The site is a brownfield site. Currently the site is occupied by a small, low grade, brick and tin clad shed and a large concrete slab.
"Historic aerial images reveal the site had additional low-grade tin and brick industrial style units to the north of the site."
The report states that the proposed development provides 23 new homes in accordance with the requirements set out within the local plan.
It adds: "The application site area covers 0.75 hectares which, based upon a standard density requirement of 35 dwellings per hectare, would equate to 26 dwellings.
"The applicant is applying for fewer dwellings per hectare, as it is important for the development of this site to be influenced by the landscape rather than to achieve a pre-determined density target.
"The yield of dwellings in this location is an acceptable scale in the context of Kirkbride which, by virtue of its services and facilities, can easily accommodate the indicative level of growth set out in the local plan.
"As this is a lower density scheme it is envisaged that the layout of the estate will be much more open than a conventional estate. The intention is to provide a mix of house types and, therefore, the estate would not be uniform in appearance.
"It is likely that there will be greater space between those properties on the periphery of the estate to enable the development to integrate with the adjacent landscape."
The application is currently being considered by planning officers at Cumberland Council.
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