A stark warning that more homes could be “the straw that breaks the camel’s back” for a village did not stop a new self-build housing development being given the go-ahead.

Derwentcourt Limited had applied to Carlisle City Council for outline planning permission to create five plots on land behind St John’s Hall in Cumwhinton.

The development was recommended for approval, subject to a legal agreement being signed to ensure they would be self-build homes and a contribution of £10,500 towards traffic-calming measures in the village.

But more than 30 local residents and Carlisle MP John Stevenson objected to the proposals because of concerns about overdevelopment and flood risk, ahead of a meeting of the council’s development control committee yesterday.

Locals cited the ongoing construction of four other housing developments in the area as evidence more homes were not needed and raised concerns about the potential for flooding problems to be exacerbated.

Marilyn Bowman, who is a ward councillor for Wetheral and Corby, said: “I fully appreciate this is a very modest application in terms of houses to be built.

“However, given the location and historic flooding problems, it could be termed as the straw that breaks the camel’s back.”

And resident Geoff Round argued there had already been “considerable, disproportionate overdevelopment” of the village and also said the field earmarked for development would flood after just a few hours of moderate rainfall.

He added: “I can only feel that further building would only result in an increase of flooding problems and hope that the committee will carefully consider this and will not approve this application.

“However, even if approval was to be given, then I would expect that this would be conditional on significant and major improvements to the drainage situation.”

SRE Associates, the application’s agent, had told the committee that the flooding concerns would be addressed by the daylighting of a culverted watercourse and said the provision of 10 parking spaces on the site would alleviate parking issues around the village hall when events were being held.

The scheme would also see £10,500 spent on traffic-calming measures, including a reduced speed limit, improved signage and a chicane to address speeding.

Mr Blacker, of SRE, said: “I understand objectors are concerned regarding new developments in areas where there has recently been growth.

“However, that should always be weighed against the positives, which in this case include addressing longstanding issues to do with drainage, parking, traffic and vastly improving the sustainability of the well-used community facility that is run by the locals.”

In response to a question from Councillor Nigel Christian, planning officer Stephen Daniel said the county council’s highways officers were satisfied the 10 parking spaces would offset the loss of some roadside parking.

Councillor David Morton moved refusal of the plans because he felt it was “creeping urbanisation” and Cumwhinton could not thrive with more homes being proposed in the village but no additional services.

That was countered by Councillor Anne Glendinning, who moved approval because of the “significant benefits” Mr Daniel said the development would bring, and the committee voted six-three in favour of the officer’s recommendation.