A STARK warning has been issued by a councillor following the approval of a controversial 200 home housing estate in south Ulverston.

Last week planners on South Lakeland District Council gave the green light for hundreds of houses to be built on land at Gascow farm. Its approval elicited dire words of warning from a committee member who vividly remembers the horrors of flooding two years ago.

Cllr John Clough, who represents Ulverston's Town ward on SLDC, said: "I voted against it. We're near the flood plain and this development will connect with another flood plain. We've had a very mild winter this year but, if we go back to the last winter, if we get flooding like that - god help us."

Cllr Clough referred back to December 2015 when Storm Desmond tore through Cumbria. Dozens of Ulverston homes in particular those in the south of the town were flooded. In spite of these fears the committee were confident sufficient safeguards were in place to protect 235 houses planned for the Priory Road site.

Cllr Norman Bishop-Rowe, town councillor for Ulverston's south ward hoped the safeguards would be strong enough. He said: "From what I gather there have been quite a few conditions laid down by statutory bodies. It can be expensive [for developers] if they don't comply."

An amendment was also made to the application which will see the number of affordable houses in the development reduce by eight. In exchange, developer Rowland Homes will invest £300,000 into the new junction at Cross-a-Moor.

Cllr Janette Jenkinson said: "Members of the planning committee felt this was a reasonable suggestion given the sensitivities of the development."

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