Lake District planners have deferred controversial proposals to use part of a town centre car park to build affordable houses for local people.

Plans by South Lakeland District Council and Two Castles Housing Association to create four low-cost flats at the Holly Road end of Broad Street car park, Windermere, have sparked objections from traders and residents, who oppose the loss of 18 town centre parking spaces.

After hearing arguments against the scheme, which officers recommended for approval, members of the National Park Authority's development control com-mittee were evenly split over the plans, with seven votes in favour, and seven against.

The casting vote would usually fall to the committee chairman, but after taking legal advice Michael Bentley - also a South Lakeland district councillor - decided that as a member of both authorities it would be wrong for him to determine the application.

Instead the committee deferred a decision on the scheme until next month's meeting.

Denise Dixon, who owns a guesthouse on Holly Road, told the committee the car park was often full, and she feared visitors who struggled to find a space would move on else-where, taking their business with them.

Jennifer Borer, a South Lakeland district councillor for the ward, who said she was ' speaking as an individual', said there was an acknow-ledged need for housing, but that the village was also badly off in terms of car parking spaces, with only 104 off-street spaces compared with towns such as Ambleside, which had 389, and Grange-over-Sands with 469.

She said it was essential for traders in Windermere that none of those spaces were lost, and visitors and local people were encouraged to use the businesses and shops in the village.

Parish council chairman Richard Ogden, who also said he was speaking as an individual, added that there were other places that could be considered for housing, rather than on Windermere's only central car park.

Ian Elleray, housing strategy manager for SLDC, said that four units was a " drop in the ocean" in meeting the need for local housing in Windermere, and that although he would be happy to consider other sites, ideally they would be in addition to the proposed Holly Road flats.

Committee member Maureen Colquhoun said it was a short sighted recommendation when Windermere was so abysmally short of parking, but Peter Phizacklea said there was no planning reason why the application should be refused, particularly given the desperate need for housing.

Planning officer Norman Atkins, who recommended the plans for approval, said although a compelling case could be put forward for the retention of town centre parking spaces, there was also a compelling case for the creation of affordable houses.

He said the recent extension to the Broad Street car park, which created 15 additional spaces, should be taken into account, as should the problems of finding suitable housing sites in Windermere.