FOURTEEN new houses are to be built on a flood-hit Kendal playing field despite more than 100 objections from nearby residents.

The plot, on land south of Burland Grove, Rinkfield, has been the subject of four applications for residential development since 2003 but all were withdrawn because of issues surrounding contamination and flood risk.

South Lakeland District Council’s Planning Committee approved the plans for eight two-bed houses and six three-bed houses at a meeting last week.

All will be available for ‘affordable’ renting.

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The meeting heard the field, had a ‘history of flooding’ and acted as a surface water storage area to protect nearby homes from rising ground water and surface water.

The water runs from a pipe on higher land next to Burton Road to the former canal.

An officer’s report stated: “The proposals involve increasing the height of the land on which the houses, parking and garden area are to be located and the removal of material to provide compensatory flood storage.”

It is also proposed to install a trench along the bottom of the canal to capture run-off water and a 300 millimetre high bund to the rear of the new houses.

A petition signed by 119 residents of Burland Grove and Rinkfield raised concerns over flooding, the loss of the field as a public amenity, traffic, contamination and the location of a proposed new path affecting homeowners.

Coun John Holmes said: “The flood alleviation methods are more than adequate.”

But Coun Phil Walker disagreed. “I don’t feel the flood defence system will be sufficient enough,” he said.

The application was approved nine to two on condition that appropriate capping was installed to protect homeowners from methane and carbon dioxide.

This has been left over from when the site was used as a household tip.