Maps have been published showing sites that have been submitted for consideration for development.
The publication of the interactive maps is the latest stage in the process to prepare the first Local Plan for Westmorland and Furness, which will guide where new houses and employment sites could be built in the area over the next 20 years.
The maps are not lists of allocated sites.
The maps, which were published on 16 May, just show the location of land that developers and landowners have suggested could be suitable for development, following a ‘call for sites’ last year.
Westmorland and Furness Council will now carefully assess each of the sites put forward under the call for sites process.
Some of the sites on this initial list could be ruled out at this stage – for example if they are unavailable for development, or there are too many constraints on the land.
Following this assessment, any that are ‘short listed’ as potentially suitable for further consideration would then be subject to full public consultation before being agreed and formally allocated as part of the Local Plan.
It is expected that this public consultation on any ‘short listed’ sites will take place in the Autumn.
Councillor Virginia Taylor, Westmorland and Furness Council’s Cabinet member for Planning, Culture and Community Wellbeing, said: “We are still in the early stages of preparing our first Local Plan. It is important to stress that the sites in this list are proposals from developers and landowners - none have been allocated yet, and won’t be for some time, and no decisions have been taken.
“For example, the council has to put forward the land we own which currently isn’t being used for council purposes. It doesn’t mean we have any plans for it to be developed or that community plans for the land aren’t still possible. People will have plenty of opportunity to comment on any proposed sites once this initial list has been assessed and narrowed down.
"Making a Local Plan is one of the most important things the council does. It sets out the future we want for ourselves and for future generations. It’s a chance for everyone – residents, businesses, utilities, highways, education and health providers, town and parish councils, environment and nature agencies – to contribute to a plan for the best future for the whole of Westmorland and Furness.
“A new plan is a chance for us to solve problems of housing, jobs, transport and infrastructure in the context of biodiversity loss, environmental and climate change challenges.
“We have committed to consulting with our communities at every stage of the Local Plan’s development. It is important to us that people have the opportunity to shape and influence the way the area develops and we promise to listen to all comments, views and suggestions and keep the people who matter at the heart of the process.
“We kicked things off with an ‘Early Conversation’ engagement last year with our residents and key stakeholders, asking what kind of place people want to live and work in and what people think is needed to help Westmorland and Furness continue to thrive over the next 20 years.
“As part of the ‘Early Conversation’ we also asked people to suggest land or sites they believed may be suitable and available to be developed for housing, employment, minerals or waste purposes.
“The call for sites maps published today show all the sites that have been submitted to the council for further consideration through that process. Being included on these maps does not mean that a site is suitable for development and it does not imply a commitment to its allocation within the Local Plan.
"The inclusion of a site on the map simply indicates it was submitted within the call for sites deadline and that all the information requested was presented to the council.’’
The Local Plan will cover the next 20 years to 2045. It applies to the parts of Westmorland and Furness outside the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales national park areas.
It will carefully consider how many new homes and workplaces Westmorland and Furness needs to grow our prosperity and plan for the sustainability of communities, while also protecting its local and historic character, landscapes, biodiversity, and environment - for now and for future generations.
The Local Plan will allocate sites for housing and other developments, such as new employment sites and minerals and waste sites (e.g. quarries and recycling centres).
It contains the policies the council will use to guide and decide whether to grant planning permissions for new development.
And the plan seeks to make our area better by, for example, reducing the environmental impact of new development, building affordable housing, helping our wildlife and reducing flood risk, helping improve our infrastructure (including roads and cycleways, schools, drainage systems, facilities for recycling/waste management and community facilities) and identifying the infrastructure needed to support development and showing how it will be accommodated and provided for.
The plan takes into account changes in our economy, population, society, towns, countryside and nature, movement around places, climate, and frequency of extreme weather events, heritage and communities.
Councillor Taylor continued: “The Government has also now published its new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
“All councils in England have been given new, mandatory housing targets to contribute to the delivery of 1.5 million more homes nationally.
“The Government has said councils must boost housebuilding, helping more people buy their own homes and helping economic growth.
“The new target for the area of Westmorland and Furness that will be covered by this new Local Plan is a significant increase on previous targets. The Local Plan we are now developing will need to accommodate sites for approximately 26,000 new homes to meet that new Government target by 2045.
“That’s an increase of more than 400% on the previous combined housebuilding targets under the former Barrow, Eden and South Lakeland councils’ Local Plans.
“We recognise that people will want to know where these homes will be built and I would urge people to get involved as we continue to develop the Local Plan, so that, together, we can come up with a plan that meets our targets, supports growth and works for our communities.’’
Although the council is not seeking views at this stage on the sites submitted for initial assessment, anyone who would like to stay in touch with the Local Plan process and would like to be notified about upcoming phases of community engagement and consultation, can sign up to the council’s Local Plan mailing list to receive email notifications: Planning Consultation Register
The interactive maps of sites submitted for consideration can be viewed at:
Anyone interested in looking at the maps and who is having difficulty accessing them digitally should contact the Planning Policy team either by email: localplan@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk or by calling 0300 373 3300. The team will endeavour to help with your request.