A developer who was faced with an order to demolish four new houses claims that he has taken steps to avert the action.

Adrian Simm, of Lake District Properties, said he had now supplied the Lake District National Park Authority with guarantees that the houses, next to Park House, Backbarrow, would be used for local occupancy.

He said he now hoped that the authority would stop the enforcement action.

Senior enforcement planner David McGowan had brought the houses to the attention of the development control committee, after it became apparent that the site was not being developed in line with the planning permission.

Concerns had been expressed by residents and the chairman of the parish council.

Eventually, Mr McGowan concluded that the variations which included a different design and siting of the houses - were so significant that the development was no longer in line with the planning permission.

Because of this, the local occupancy condition, which had been part of the planning consent, was no longer in place.

Mr McGowan said the developer had indicated that he would unilaterally put in place the local occupancy guarantee that was required. This could help to influence whether or not enforcement action was taken.

In a report to committee he said: "The appropriate way to remedy this breach of planning control would be to serve an enforcement notice on the site requiring that the development be demolished and the land cleared.

"I anticipate that an appeal would be made enabling the deemed application for permission to be considered by an inspector."

Members agreed to authorise enforcement action "to secure demolition of the development".

Speaking after the meeting, Mr McGowan said that if Mr Simm appealed against the decision, an inspector could agree that the site should be cleared, or he could grant retrospective planning consent for the site, and impose a local occupancy condition.

However, he said the enforcement notice would probably be issued, even if the authority later changed its position.

Mr Simm said this week that "site constraints" had meant he had had to change the development from the original planning permission. As far as he was aware, the authority's concern was over the local occupancy issue, rather than the development itself.

He said that he submitted the local occupancy guarantee to the LDNPA earlier this week, and believed that would solve the problem. The houses were to be rented to local people, he added.

"I would expect him (Mr McGowan) to go back to committee at the end of the month with a view to having the enforcement action stopped," he said.