Housing Development Proposed in St Bee’s Heritage Coast Extension Area

Along with the National Trust, we have challenged plans for 139 houses in the area proposed for the extension of the St Bee’s Heritage Coast.

Heritage coasts are defined to protect and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and heritage features of the coastline and to enable the public to enjoy and understand it. The St Bee’s Heritage Coast is the only such area in the North West. It currently stretches from St Bee’s village across St Bee’s Head to Saltom Bay but an extension was proposed and agreed in 2019 by The National Trust, Colourful Coast Partnership, Copeland Borough Council and Natural England, following an independent landscape assessment, although the area has yet to formally be defined as part of the Heritage Coast. As part of a larger proposal, which also includes the redevelopment of a large brownfield site, significant greenfield housing development is now proposed in the extension area, which is concerning in both landscape terms and for its potential to undermine efforts to secure the extension.

We have raised our wider concern about the delay in finalising the extension with the National Trust, Natural England and Copeland Borough.

If you wish to view and comment on the housing proposals you can do so here – enter application reference number 4/21/2432/0F1

Read our response here.