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Controversial plans for 139 homes on old Marchon site approved.

By Lucy Jenkinson, 10th December 2025, https://www.whitehavennews.co.uk/news/25684633.decision-due-controversial-plans-139-homes-old-marchon-site/

CONTROVERSIAL plans to build 139 homes on the site of a former chemical factory have been approved by planners today.

The application put forward by Persimmon Homes to build houses on the old Marchon site at Kells in Whitehaven, was considered by Cumberland Council’s planning committee this afternoon (December 9).

Members visited the site, which was formerly used to produce ingredients for detergents and toiletries from the 1940s until 2005, before making their decision.

The application is for phase one of the scheme, with an area of land designated to provide a commercial related development within phase two.

Persimmon Homes say the location creates an opportunity for ‘a vibrant residential development of good quality design’ and a range of housing types would be provided to meet local needs.

Access points would be created off High Road and there would be an opportunity to link with an existing national pedestrian and cycle network.

Concerns had been raised by some residents living nearby over the risk of contaminated land and the capacity of local services including school places and GP surgeries.

One resident who lives at Saltom Bay Heights said: “We have been given no guarantees that this land is safe or that contamination will not be disturbed. It is unclear how old some of the contamination reports are, raising doubts over their accuracy and reliability.”

“Proper up-to-date testing of the land has not been carried out, and even the developer admits in the reports they do not fully know what they will uncover until excavation begins. There are known areas where digging is restricted, yet no reassurance has been provided on what happens if contamination is released.

“There are not enough school places and GP surgeries and dental services are already overstretched in Whitehaven, yet these pressures have not been properly addressed. Approving this development without fully resolving these risks would be reckless and irresponsible. They can’t control the winds and airborne chemical contamination.”

Paula and Gary Marsh, who also live at Saltom Bay Heights, said they were ‘deeply concerned’ about the risk of airborne chemicals during excavation.

They said: “This development is being pushed forward without certainty, without transparency, and without adequate protection for public health. These risks are real, current, and long-term, and they cannot be dismissed.”

A remediation statement submitted with the application, which dates back to 2007, says the site was designated as contaminated land by the former Copeland Council, on the basis of sixteen pollutant linkages. These included petroleum hydrocarbons, phosphates and metals such as arsenic, copper, lead and mercury.

The Environment Agency said in its initial response to the plans that it considered the scheme to be ‘acceptable’ in principle but further detail should be agreed with the planning authority.

It also said if contamination not previously identified was found to be present at the site then no further development should be carried out until a remediation strategy detailing how the contamination would be dealt with had been approved by the local planning authority.

Persimmon Homes was approached for comment by The Whitehaven News.

February 3, 2026 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | environment, UK