Developers have lodged a planning application to create a housing development in a green field site north of Braithwaite.
Willan Homes is seeking to build 15 houses – 10 of which will be ‘affordable’ – on land to the west of the A66 on the edge of the village. There is already outline permission for the erection of 12 dwellings on the 0.62 hectare site, which sits between Thornthwaite Road and the A66, which was granted in November 2022.
Planning documents submitted to the Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) say that the site is used for agriculture but follows the line of development of the rest of the village and does not exceed the village boundary.
“The intention of the proposal is to create a development that retains and enhances the existing character of the site,” says the planning application.
There are a number of protected oak, birch and goat willow trees through the location and should permission be granted protective barriers will be erected before building work starts. The development includes a spread of two to five-bedroom properties to address the housing need for a wider group of people and affordability, but the site is predominantly three bedrooms.
Planning documents state: “Development within the national park is regulated to maintain the character and prevent habitat destruction, so sporadic development in open countryside is strongly discouraged, however, there is opportunity for development within villages and rural service centres to meet the local housing need.
“This development will provide local occupancy housing, which will help to meet the housing demand in Braithwaite and Keswick, whilst remaining sympathetic to the character of the local area.”
They add that the development is on key bus routes and it will provide accommodation to people working locally.
