Westmorland and Furness Council has been instructed to submit a new planning application for the discharge of conditions relating to noise and lighting at Voreda House after it was discovered that a previous application, submitted in July 2024, was made using the incorrect form.
A spokesperson for Westmorland and Furness Council said: "Upon inspection of the file, the newly appointed Planning Officer identified that the applicant had used the incorrect application form, thereby pursuing the discharge of these three conditions incorrectly."
"These conditions should have been addressed through an application to 'discharge' them rather than an application to 'vary' them."
When the former Eden District Council granted planning permission for Voreda House, conditions were imposed, including a requirement that, prior to the building’s occupation, a BS4142 assessment—a recognised method for rating and assessing industrial and commercial sound—be conducted by a qualified noise consultant and submitted for approval by the Local Planning Authority.
This condition specifically related to the air ventilation and heating units installed on the roof of Voreda House. At the time, Eden District Council planners stated that this condition was imposed "in the interests of protecting the amenity of neighbouring residential dwellings."
Since the building became operational, local residents have raised concerns about excessive noise from the rooftop motors, particularly at night, and have called for acoustic barriers to be installed as well as restrictions on night-time usage.
Seven residents from properties surrounding Voreda House formally objected to the application, which was incorrectly submitted by the council. The council has confirmed that these objections will be carried over to the new application, along with submissions from Evolve Penrith, Penrith Town Council, and the council’s Environmental Health Officers.
Westmorland and Furness Council moved into Voreda House in June 2024 despite failing to comply with the required planning conditions.
The Planning Officer has now recommended that the council, as the applicant, to submit a new application to formally discharge the conditions using the correct forms.
The Planning Officer has also advised that the new discharge application should directly address all comments received so far, including those from local residents, Evolve Penrith, and the council’s Environmental Health Officer.
It is understood that Westmorland and Furness Council is currently preparing the revised discharge application for Voreda House to submit to itself.
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