Cumberland signs off Copeland local plan
Mapping out the strategic development framework for the Cumbrian borough for the years up to 2039, the local plan has been five years in the making.
The Copeland Local Plan 2021-2039 was adopted by Cumberland Council on Tuesday. The document outlines how the area will enable the building of 2,595 homes, possible onshore wind farm locations, and nearly 226 acres of employment land.
Much of the employment land is already developed with only 59 acres available.
Key residential sites include the 370-capacity Red Lonning and Harras Moor plot and the 532-capacity former Marchon site – both in Whitehaven.
In Clear Moor, sites include land at Jacktrees Road (suitable for 127 homes) and land north of Dent Road (119 homes).
Egremont has a few sites in the local plan, notably land to the south of Daleview Gardens (earmarked for 141 homes).
In Millom and Brigrigg the largest sites allocated are Moor Farm (195 homes) and land north of Springfield Gardens (65 homes), respectively.
The local plan also requires developers to include 10% affordable homes on projects that comprise 10 or more residences – or are on sites larger than 1.2 acres.
“The Copeland Local Plan is a very detailed and important document,” said Cllr Bob Kelly, Cumberland Council’s executive member for planning policy and regulatory services.
“It has been worked on for more than five years and during that time has undergone widespread consultation and has been scrutinised by a planning inspector,” he continued. “It sets out a series of clear polices which will support sustained growth within this area of Cumberland.”
A local plan for the larger Cumberland area is also in the works. When adopted, this document would supersede the current local plans in the vicinity – including Copeland’s.