Reserved Matters Planning Application submitted for Strawberry How, Cockermouth

Story Homes has submitted a Reserved Matters Planning Application to build 224 houses on land at Strawberry How, Cockermouth. The production of these homes will follow on from the existing 96 homes which are ongoing as part of the first phase of the award-winning development, ‘Strawberry Grange’.

Proposed plans for the second phase of the development include a broad mixture of high quality, high specification homes including detached, semi-detached and terraced family housing. In accordance with the Local Plan Policy for Cockermouth, there shall be up to 100 affordable homes available to rent or buy, including a mixture of one, two and three bedroom affordable homes.

The new properties will improve choice across the local housing market and will help increase direct and indirect investment in local shops, services and facilities. Furthermore, the development will inevitably bring economic benefits to the area during the construction phase, including sustaining jobs for local sub-contractors and support for local businesses and supply chains.

As part of existing s106 agreements, Story Homes will make a number of contributions to the local community, including:

• The provision of a new regular bus service which will link the development to the town, with potential for wider en-route town connections prior to 96^th unit occupation.
• Education contribution of over £265,000 prior to the 200^th unit occupation to provide additional capacity at All Saints Primary School
• Off site play space contribution of £25,000 to improve Bellbrigg Lonning play area
• New leisure walking routes and connectivity to existing Public Rights of Way and access points, ensuring that residents and visitors are able to access the surrounding countryside areas
• The provision of supporting infrastructure which will provide ecological and biodiversity enhancements – including landscape buffers, ponds, riverbank restoration, wetland scrapes and new grass wetland planting

Adam McNally, Land Manger at Story Homes, said: “We believe our proposals for 224 new homes at Strawberry How will continue the success of phase one, for which we won Best Residential Development award in Cumbria  at the 2017 UK Property Awards. Our phase two submission follows over a year of planning with design input from local people and statutory stakeholders. Our proposed plans appropriately respond to neighbouring amenities, local character and environment and will bring numerous benefits to the local community in Cockermouth – both economically in sustaining jobs for local people, and ecologically through the restoration and reinforcement of the local landscape. We are committed to providing quality affordable housing within our scheme and pleased that our next phase shall incorporate 100 affordable homes for local people, meeting the Council’s local plan requirements.”

As per the first phase of the development, Strawberry Grange, drainage for the Strawberry How scheme has been sensitively designed to ensure flood risk and water quality is appropriately addressed in accordance with latest regulations. The original approval of plans was supported by a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment including detailed highways evidence and drainage plans, and the proposals from Story Homes demonstrated that the development will not bring significant highways impact in the town nor increase flood risk.