RESIDENTS in Brampton say they are worried about the potential increases in the number of homes and families in the town.

Story Homes has submitted amendments to its planning applications, which would see the number of homes built on their proposed Carlisle Road estate rise to 108.

The company initially received the go-ahead to build 91 homes in 2017, but since then it has made changes in the ways that it builds properties to make the process more efficient.

The number of affordable homes on the development would rise from 27 to 32.

Residents are wary of the strain that an increase in residents may put on the local infrastructure.

Resident Charlotte Hulme, from Brampton, said: “They need to leave that field alone.

“I just worry about where the extra children would go as Brampton primary is already struggling with funding and what about the doctors - can they find the time for extra people?”

Brampton parish council shares the view that Story Homes should be focusing more on developing the community and implementing greener solutions, rather than simply bringing more people to a community that is already at breaking point.

David Moorat, chairman of the parish council, said: “What we want them to address is helping to develop the community rather than stuffing as many houses onto a former green field site.

“We need a green solution that helps the children to cycle to school. We want play parks for the children so they don’t have to walk through the streets of Brampton to get to a play park, and we want community support for the town.”

Story Homes has acknowledged that it may have to increase the amount of education funding being provided to the local schools.

A spokesperson for the firm said: “We have seen high demand recently for the slightly smaller ‘start-up’ style homes and because of this, we have re-evaluated the mixture of house types for our Brampton development.

“Because we have removed some of the larger house types and replaced them with start-up homes, it has allowed us to increase the overall number of homes on the development.”

The proposed changes come in the form of two separate applications.

One is a non-material amendment for 28 homes, incorporating the new design, on the plot of land.

The second is a new planning application that changes the original plans of building 63 houses to 80 houses.

Martin Spears, who lives close to the proposed estate, said: “Brampton doesn’t need more housing and currently doesn’t have the infrastructure to support 80 more families. We are dreading the noise, dust and the total loss of our current lovely views towards the Solway.”