A PLAN to add more than 160 homes to a Furness village has been described as ‘ridiculous’ by a high-ranking councillor.

Coun James Airey was speaking after attending a consultation run by South Lakeland District Council at Swarthmoor.

The council is asking local people to help it identify potential issues before fields at Cross-a-Moor, near Ulverston, are developed for 161 new houses.

The land is behind a row of houses on the eastbound side of the A590 on Ulverston Road.

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SLDC says its development would create a ‘new edge to Swarthmoor’.

But Coun Airey, of the opposition Conservatives, who lives at nearby Urswick, claims the guidelines would not be ‘set in stone’.

“I have asked if any potential developer has to follow the guidance and was told by a council officer that it’s up for negotiation – so there’s a general feeling that this is just a bit of a wishlist really,” said Coun Airey. “One hundred and sixty-one new homes for a village the size of Swarth-moor is ridiculous. There was a feeling that local voices have not been heard regarding the number of houses.”

Pennington Parish Council also has reservations about the scheme.

SLDC says it is listening to concerns and will continue to do so as part of a six-week public consultation.

Coun Jonathan Brook said: “We recognise that building on greenfield sites such as Cross-a-Moor is a process where the public should be given a chance to put forward views. SLDC aims to minimise the impact of any development and consult widely. The shape, look and feel of eventual development will be based on ideas from this process.’’ An SLDC spokesman said that some 100 people attended the consultation at Swarthmoor Football Club during the day.

"Representatives from the Highways Agency and Cumbria highways department were also there to discuss matters relating to access to the site from the main A590.

"All responses to the consultation – which closes on September 25 – will be taken into account when preparing a development brief that the council will consider as a supplementary planning document.

This will then be referred to when any planning application is submitted for this site."