Cumbria County Council need to come clean about their plans for north Carlisle schooling says Carlisle City Council’s development control committee.
Gareth Ellis Conservative county councillor for Belah speaking on behalf of residents at the meeting said: “We know Cumbria County Council is sitting on over £3million of money from contributions so far from the planning approvals already given.
“Many of these homes are now occupied and it is only a matter of time before that demand seeps through to local schools. Neither existing school can be expanded further and have done an excellent job of coping with the increased pressure, but a point is coming when that won’t be possible.”
David Morton Conservative Cllr for Belah and Kingmoor and a member of the Development Control committee said: “We need more information as to their plans for new primary provision. We cannot with good conscience repeatedly approve housing developments with only vague non specific undertakings about meeting the school numbers. I still believe the closure of Belah School was a mistake and we are living with that mistake now.”
Cllr David Morton at the meeting proposed to defer the application for 80 new homes at Deer Park until a response from Cumbria County Council as to their intentions, this was unanimously agreed by the rest of the committee.