A SOUTH Lakeland councillor has voiced concerns over affordable housing after plans were passed for 40 new retirement apartments in Ulverston.

Coun Phillip Dixon, SLDC’s Liberal Democrat representative for the Kendal Highgate ward, expressed concerns that the region was “only a place for the affluent” after the decision made by SLDC’s Planning Commitee omitted the councils strategy to include affordable housing in new building schemes.

Councillors approved othe outline plans to build 40 retirement apartments at Fair View House, on Daltongate.

The new buildings would form part of a new type of retirement complex for the over 55s, falling between the traditional care home and sheltered housing.

It would include on-site medical and dining facilities.

However, under SLDC’s core strategy, in all schemes of nine or more dwellings, 35 per cent should be made affordable - unless councillors waive the strategy.

Coun Dixon voiced his concerns after the provision to include 35 per cent of the development as affordable housing was not adhered to.

“It does concern me that the percentage of affordable housing outlined in our core strategy is being ignored in this case,” he said.

“We are giving the impression that the South Lakes is only a place for the comfortably well-off, affluent and middle classes.”

However, councillors agreed with planning officers that the development could not sustain the need for affordable housing.

SLDC planning officer Kate Lawson said: “Because of the special nature of the development I believe that if the strategy of providing affordable housing was put to the developers, the plans simply would not go ahead as it is not viable.”

Coun David Williams, said he believed that affordable housing was not aimed at the elderly.

Coun Williams, Conservative member for Windermere Bowness South, said: “The whole issue of affordable housing is for young first time buyers and not people over the age of 55.”

Fair View House - a Grade II Listed building from the 1830s - was converted into a rest home in 1989, but has stood derelict since the owner retired last year.

The planning committee voted to delegate the application for planning officers to negotiate the next stage of the plans with the applicants, Leeds-based architects, McNeill Beechy O’Neill.

The debate came only a week after the new Chief Executive of SLDC, Lawrence Conway, said that affordable housing is key to the future development of South Lakeland .