New homes could be built on private school land
GooglePlans to build homes for Cumbrian residents on the former grounds of a private school have been submitted.
An application to the Lake District National Park Authority involves creating five homes on land previously owned by St Anne's Elleray School in Windermere.
If approved, it would mean only people with an established connection to the area can be occupants of the property.
According to the plans, the Elleray School premises is intending to close during the summer of 2025.
Outline planning permission for seven homes on the site was given in 2022 by national park planners to the Windermere Educational Trust, with the land later being sold on to GCE Ltd.
The applicant proposed to reduce the number of homes on the site from seven to five in a bid to minimise the use of the Elleray School entrance, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
The heritage, design and access statement reads: "The proposal delivers five new dwellings, that prioritise high quality design and high performance building envelopes, with renewable technologies, to create lifelong sustainable homes.
"The five dwellings are to be local occupancy and have been suitably designed to deliver the accommodation requirements of the working age demographic and families and to be adaptable with the evolving dynamics over time, so that they can be lifelong permanent homes."
The remaining premises of the Elleray School are currently for sale, as Windermere School will be combining both the primary and secondary school operations at their main Browhead campus two miles away.
Little affordable housing
In July, the head teacher of Hawkshead and Esthwaite Primary School warned the lack of affordable housing in the Lake District could lead to staff cuts.
The same month, the Lakes Parish Council passed a vote of no confidence in the Lake District National Park Authority, accusing the authority of allowing the development of properties which exceeded what families could afford.
The authority said it would respond in due course.