Last updated at 20:25, Thursday, 08 December 2011

Two major development plans for Maryport have been forced back to the drawing board after their planning applications were suspended by the Government.

Story Homes wants to build a 152-home development on Deer Park, off Netherhall Road and, in a separate scheme, Hadrian’s Wall Heritage Limited wants to create a multimillion-pound Roman Maryport centre at Camp Farm.

Residents living near Deer Park this summer hired an environment law firm in a bid to stop the Story Homes development.

The firm argued that Story’s application needed an environmental impact assessment, which had not been commissioned.

The Secretary of State has now agreed and suspended the application.

Sean Ritson, spokesman for the group which hired the law firm, said it was a major victory but the fight was far from over.

It means that Allerdale council will have to re-advertise the planning application and then put it out to consultation again.

This will give people another opportunity to have their say on the scheme.

Story Homes confirmed it would submit an assessment in the new year.

A company spokeswoman said it had already carried out extensive research into the site and was well prepared to assess the potential environmental effects of the proposal.

She added: “The planning application for this development was submitted in May 2011, fully in accordance with Allerdale council’s requirements and including comprehensive reports on archaeology, ecology, flood risk, transport, landscape and ground investigation.”

The Roman Maryport development’s application will also have to be re-advertised and put out to consultation after it was suspended by the Secretary of State.

The original application did not have an environmental impact assessment and Allerdale council asked the Government for its opinion.

A council spokeswoman said: “Given the connections between the two schemes and given that a screening direction had been requested for the Netherhall site, the council, with the agreement of the applicant, believed it to be prudent to request a screening direction for the Camp Farm site.”

A spokesman for Hadrian’s Wall Heritage Ltd said: “We are considering the implications of the Secretary of State’s decision carefully with our consultants.”

Maryport Town Council said it planned to discuss the Story Homes proposal again in January so it could send a new submission for the scheme’s resubmission to Allerdale council.

First published at 19:19, Thursday, 08 December 2011
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk