PLANS for more homes on a site in Barrow which was previously granted planning approval for nearly 150 new houses have been given the green light.

Westmorland and Furness Council has approved plans from Oakmere Homes for 12 more homes on the Dalton Lane housing site where the developer has outline planning permission to build 142 homes.

The previous plans were initially turned down by Barrow Borough Council before a government inspector overturned the decision in 2017.

According to planning documents the developer has ‘redesigned’ the approved scheme to make more ‘efficient’ use of space.

The design and access statement says: “The additional dwellings have been facilitated through the removal of separate garages and the addition of integrated garages to properties (preferred by purchasers).

“Several of the approved plots comprised larger gardens with extraneous land and this set-up is not popular with purchasers and do not sell well as they do not want to maintain anything over and above their traditional garden space. Therefore, some of the additional units have been located on some of this superfluous land.

“In addition, some previously approved dwellings have been reconfigured and re-orientated to further maximise the available space enabling the site to be developed to its maximum efficiency.”

The proposed new houses will consist of seven four-bedroom houses and five five-bedroom houses. The ‘revised’ scheme will also see the total number of five-bedroom houses in the development increase from two to 21 in total due to demand while the number of smaller three and four bedroom homes will decrease.

According to planning documents there is currently ‘little demand’ for smaller three and four-bedroom homes .

Barrow Borough Council originally rejected the planning application for 142 homes due to concerns over the effect of the development on the character of the landscape and the visual amenity of the area; the effect of the proposal on the separation between the urban areas of Barrow and Dalton; and whether the development would preserve or enhance the setting of nearby heritage assets.

The inspector who overturned the decision said while the houses would encroach into open countryside and reduce the separation between Barrow and Dalton there would still remain a ‘distinctive’ visual gap between the settlements.

Westmorland and Furness Council approved the new application for 12 more homes on the site on January 22.