A NINTH generation villager who dreamed of building her own home in Old Hutton received 47 letters supporting her application from residents.

Jazz Procter, 24, submitted plans to South Lakeland District Council to self build a home in the grounds of Bleaze Farm.

It received the backing of dozens of villagers and Old Hutton & Holmescales Parish Council.

"Essentially I want to remain in my local village, close to my parents and grandparents," Miss Procter told SLDC's Planning Committee. "And for me and my partner, Liam, to set up our own home and one day also start a family."

Although Miss Procter had initially had outline plans for an affordable home approved in 2015, she had later withdrawn her application.

"It was unviable for me to accept as the affordability criteria could not logically be applied to a self-build single dwelling," she said.

The recommendation for the proposal was to refuse as the site is 'in an isolated location in open countryside' and did not align with SLDC's core strategy policies.

Cllr David Williams said that he would not be able to support the application as it went against policy.

"Everyone who wants to build anywhere would stick an application in and it would be granted," he said. "I am very sorry, but we either have a planning policy or we don't.

"Once we start doing this we might as well give up."

However, Cllr Williams was in a minority with several councillors speaking out in favour of the application.

"We are bleeding - and I mean bleeding - our young people," Cllr Sylvia Emmott said. "Both of my children do not live locally. That is not because they do not want to but because they cannot get a job locally.

"Here we have a young couple who desperately want to stay within how I see it, a hamlet. This building is not going to cause anybody any harm.

"This planning committee is here to look at each individual case. We are looking at self build and this is clearly going to be a self build."

The committee voted 12-1 in favour of the application, rejecting the recommendation to refuse permission.

Speaking after the meeting, Miss Procter said that she had been 'overwhelmed' with the support from the village.

"I am just a homebird to be honest," she said. "My grandma and grandad lived next to me growing up so we have always been quite a close family.

"I could not really imagine living anywhere else. We are looking to get our own place and it's the dream.

"For me it feels like the whole village got behind me. Everyone said such lovely things. We have been overwhelmed with the support. We are just so grateful."