Fifty new homes could be built on farmland in a north Cumbrian village – despite earlier concerns about the impact on its infrastructure.

The Church Commissioners for England had previously held a public exhibition about a possible residential development at Steele’s Bank.

The outline plans, for a chunk of land in the south-west corner of Wetheral, have now been formally submitted to Carlisle City Council.

Included in the scheme is a mixture of housing types – detached, semi detached and bungalows – with between two and four bedrooms.

Wetheral has been the subject of a number of new housing applications in recent years, prompting local fears that the community cannot cope.

When tentative plans for Steele’s Bank were unveiled this summer, concerns were raised. They included the lack of a school, meaning any new children would have to be bused out to other villages, and subsequent traffic problems. Overdevelopment of the village was also a worry.

Campaigners have been waiting to view the final proposals to see if they address those concerns before deciding whether to object.

The design and access statement drawn up to support the application states that alterations have been made as a result of comments from members of the public and councillors.

They include adding bungalows, changing pedestrian access and layout, and altering materials.

“High quality, sensitively-designed properties would not have an adverse impact on the existing settlement and would offer a greater housing choice for the local residents, helping meet the district’s identified housing need,” it adds.

Members of Wetheral parish council will look at the plans in detail at their planning meeting on Monday, before holding a formal discussion. They may decide to hold a public meeting.

The Save Wetheral action group will also meet to decide whether or not to object. Secretary Bethan Hill-Gorst said: “We have been monitoring the situation at Steele’s Bank and awaiting the formal planning application .

“We will now be carrying out a detailed evaluation of the proposals before putting forward our thoughts.

“We are not against development in principle but want something that fits in with the community and can be sustained by the village.”

People living near the site have expressed concerns about the problems 50 extra houses would cause, saying traffic leading up Steele’s Bank is already an issue.