A NEW place of worship is to be built in Wigton - despite objections from neighbours.

There were protests from 12 Station Hill residents and two objections from Wigton town council, but a planning application for a new Jehovah's Witnesses church has been given the go-ahead.

Residents on Station Hill sent letters to Allerdale Council to object to the plans for a new place of worship, on the corner of the road linking the A596 to Station Hill.

The applicant, Mr Owen Thoburn of Jehovah's Witnesses group Watchtower Bible & Tract Society Britain, detailed the reasoning for the new building in the application:

He stated: "The proposed building will be used as a Place of Worship and as such it is recognised as filling a community function as defined in planning law.

"It will be open to all members of the public and meetings for the purpose of worship and religious education will be held regularly, along with less frequent use for weddings, funeral services, meetings of trustees and so on."

The plan was approved at an Allerdale Council meeting this week.

Letters of objection were sent to the council, claiming that the plans would put lives at risk and would lead to problems with parking for nearby home-owners.

In one of the first letters of objection, one resident who lives nearby claimed the plans would put lives at risk.

In their letter to the council, the resident said: "We residents of Station Hill, think this new proposed building site is the most dangerous site in Wigton.

"Cars parked on the road is dangerous.

"When the housing building site further up the street is fully occupied, this road will be congested.

"The proposed entrance to the new site will be right on the corner.

"We strongly oppose this development."

Other residents made the claim that the place of worship would lead to parking problems for residents on the road.

Another letter from one resident read: "If the church car-park overflows there is very limited parking on Station Hill (due to the existing double-yellow lines) for the residents.

"So what is already a difficult parking situation would become impossible.

"Therefore I object to this plan, totally and wholly."

Another two residents of Station Hill also made the claim that the plans put lives in danger.

Donna Stephenson and Gary Wilson of Bank View, Station Hill wrote in their letter: "We object to the plans, as it would be ridiculous to have an entrance to a building just off the by-pass.

"Cars stopping to turn in would be dangerous enough, but I strongly feel that cars exiting the site would be almost pulling out blind.

"There is very little distance from the turn-off to the proposed entrance."

A spokeswoman for Allerdale Council said: "The Development Panel took into account both the concerns of local residents, and the advice given by planning officers and the local highway authority, before the application was approved."