FIVE detached houses have been given the go-ahead in a Lake District village.

The two-storey detached dwellings will go on land at the rear of Cross Howe, a social housing development in Totter Bank, Crosthwaite.

Wynlass Limited won permission from the Lake District National Park Authority at a meeting of its development control committee in Kendal.

The project involves a new access to the site, a new internal access road and landscaping works.

National park planner Neil Henderson said the site was “surrounded” by other houses but recommended it get the go-ahead.

He said: "There is a need for housing in the area and the proposed houses are acceptable in design terms. There will be a limited impact on the wider landscape."

A "significant concern" for residents had been the discharge of some service and foul water, he told the committee.

"The drainage arrangements are unusual but I consider they are not like to contribute to pollution of water courses or harm to public health," he said.

Objector Alan Gerrard said that in the last two years Crosthwaite had accommodated more housing developments than all the villages in the national park put together.  Papers before the committee suggested there had been a 34 per cent increase.

Mr Gerrard said this was “neither proportionate nor appropriate” and raised a number of concerns about the drainage arrangements.

Peter Harris, on behalf of the applicant, said the developer would provide a new treatment plant to serve both Cross Howe and the five new houses.

Mr Harris said: "The drainage will be a lot better than the drainage currently on the site. It will be up to modern, state-of-the-art standards and also has the benefit of a UV filter and will ensure that clean water goes into the watercourse. We have had no objections from the Environment Agency and have taken onboard all their issues."

Panel member Geoff Davies called the plan"extremely tricky" but said he "marginally" he supported the officer's recommendation.

Mr Davies said: "I think I had considerable misgivings about the drainage system. The point is we have to understand the role the Environment Agency would take in this.

"If we were to grant planning permission, that doesn't override any considerations the Environment Agency or any other private individuals might have."

David McGowan, head of development management for the LDNPA, reassured the committee that other organisations had controls to put in place.

"We need to be satisfied in principle whether it’s acceptable and whether it's an appropriate way to be draining this site. Everything we hear from residents is that it’s not, but our consideration is that it's satisfactory."

The committee agreed the application five votes to three.