A 500-home estate will be created near Millom, it has been revealed today.

Lord Matthew Taylor, speaking today at the Copeland Open For Business conference, launched the ambitious new community housing project, called inHarmony, on the site of the old quarry.

The project is intended to be the initial flagship of a new generation of multi-purpose housing developments that will provide residents with high quality accommodation and opportunities for creating ecological livelihoods.

InHarmony will combine teleworking with small-scale farming and food production and processing opportunities, while being the first modern community to be energy-, food-, wildlife-, rent- and job-positive.

The 500-home community will be delivered by a multi-award-winning team and is being planned as a showcase for both sustainable living and farming.

Lord Taylor said: "Copeland is to be the flagship for a new kind of community that tackles the twin challenges of housing and farming by turning negatives into positives.”

InHarmony will be built on the site of a former iron ore mine overlooking the Irish sea and a freshwater lagoon.

The village will be shaped to form an amphitheatre for events and concerts.

It will be a place for both residents and tourists to live or to visit, to work or to play.

InHarmony will transform the building and farming industry by introducing innovative methods of building and of food production and marketing.

The sponsors are co-operating with private and public funders with a view to creating a new model of community development that will enable people to live more satisfying and productive lives.

InHarmony is supported by the Conservation Farming Trust, a charity that encourages and supports young people who want to start food and agricultural businesses through its New Food Entrepreneurs programme.

Lord Taylor has advised successive governments on planning and housing policy for over a decade.

From 2006-8 he conducted the planning and housing policy review “Living Working Countryside’ laying foundations for the Government’s National Planning Policy Framework and Neighbourhood Planning.

He developed the Garden Village proposal which was adopted by the Government as national policy at the March 2016 Budget.

He advises a number of garden village and towns projects, including chairing the Carclaze Garden Village scheme in Cornwall.

He continues to advise Government and local authorities, and runs his own consultancy business.

Ashley Dobbs, founder of InHarmony, said: “The first great civilisations were created as a consequence of natural climate change.

"We are now faced with man-made climate change.

"It is a great opportunity to use this challenge to create more civilised, healthier and more harmonious communities.

"It is my great passion and focus to do this. I have been overwhelmed with the support from the people and leaders of Millom and hope this is just the start of things to come."