Genesis secures sign-off for 157 Carlisle homes
Situated on 23 acres near the future St Cuthbert’s Garden Village, the development would include 30 affordable houses.
Carlisle City Council approved the plans by Penrith-based Genesis Homes at the planning committee meeting on Friday.
The site in question sits west of Cumwhinton Drive in the St Cuthberts Without Parish.
Homes England had secured outline planning permission for up to 160 homes on the site in 2020. The Genesis application built upon that permission, naming the project The Woodlands.
Under designs by AFL Architects, The Woodlands would see the demolition of the historic Westmorland House. A second Victorian villa, Cumberland House, will be renovated into six apartments.
There are 12 different house types proposed for the 157 approved homes. They include terraced homes, detached houses, flats, and bungalows. The homes range from having one to five bedrooms.
Carlisle City planning officers noted in their committee report that the plans include the planting of trees, introduction of small areas of hedgerow between plots, installation of SUDs, and a woodland walk area.
John Blue, land director at Genesis, said: “Genesis Homes is committed to making all our developments as environmentally friendly as possible, and a main aim of ours is to enhance the biodiversity and ecology of the local area.
“We are delighted to be able to create a distinctive, characterful housing development, which is sensitively embedded within the existing landscape, and preserve the beautiful surrounding wooded areas.”
Blue also noted that the scheme’s proximity to the proposed garden village was an asset.
“There is a strong vision for regeneration in the area and plans to create a new market area locally, and we are excited to form a positive relationship with the nearby development to boost the community even further,” Blue said.
In addition to AFL, the project team for The Woodlands includes Sam Greig Planning. The application’s reference number with Carlisle City Council is 21/0623.
