PLANS for a major expansion to a Silloth holiday park have been given the go-ahead.

At a development panel meeting of Allerdale Council, members agreed unanimously to approve the plans for 42 new residential caravans.

Councillors voted 11-0 in favour of the plans, and were satisfied that the concerns expressed about flooding by residents, were dealt with in the plans.

Many residents had written to the council to voice their concerns over flooding in the lead up to the decision being made.

The concerns raised related to a number of issues surrounding the park.

Several residents called for improvements to be made to the current infrastructure of the site, before an expansion takes place.

They expressed fears over the roads, pathways and drainage systems in and around the park.

Others claimed that promises had been made to them that the site in the plan would not be built on, because of the risk of flooding.

The vast majority of all letters sent to the council expressed concerns over flooding.

But Mayor of Silloth Tony Markley is satisfied that the issues with flooding are dealt with in the plan.

He said: "Hopefully it will work out.

"The plans are not detrimental to the town, as long as the flooding issues are sorted.

"They were covered in the plan, so hopefully it will be successful."

Mr Markley believes the park is invaluable to Silloth.

"The park is paramount to Silloth, as is Stanwix (Park Holiday Centre).

"There are residential homes, as well as holiday homes - allowing people to live and holiday on the site.

"In the last couple of years we have seen that people are coming up here to live.

"The park gives people the chance to downsize, and it is a different form of residential living."

Chairman of the development panel for Allerdale Council, Peter Bales, was in charge of the meeting, which took place on Tuesday.

He said: "The members agreed with the recommendation to approve the plans.

"We visited the site and we had no objections. The decision was unanimous."

According to Mr Bales, every necessary step to prevent flooding is covered in the plans.

"Drainage is always a problem in Silloth, and it's always been a problem.

"On the site next door (Silloth Airfield) they have had a number of problems.

"They are doing the best they can, with what they have.

"We agreed that what was proposed was sufficient."