Plans for 600 homes refused at packed meeting
Taylor WimpeyA plan for up to 600 homes, which had been met with hundreds of objections, has been rejected by councillors despite a recommendation by planning officers to approve it.
Taylor Wimpey's £133m outline plan for land near Green Lane, Yarm, was refused at a packed meeting of Labour-led Stockton Borough Council's planning committee on Wednesday.
Representing the developer, ELG Planning director Steven Longstaff said the plan was much needed at a time of an acute housing crisis.
Yarm town councillor Yvonne Wallace, who set up an opposition petition with more than 3,200 signatures, raised the impact it would have on roads, saying: "Is it a case of profit before community?"
The proposal eventually drew almost 600 objections.
At the meeting, Yarm Independents' councillor Wallace said: "We will have another 1,000 cars-plus coming on to Green Lane.
"If this goes ahead, it will be chaos."
'On its knees'
Taylor Wimpey claimed the plan would bring £85m into the economy and more than 200 jobs.
Planning services manager Simon Grundy said it was considered a sustainable site with local facilities, a pub and schools within walking distance.
Debating the plan, however, numerous councillors said they could not support it.
Conservative group leader Tony Riordan said: "We've got capacity issues, infrastructure issues, highways issues, electricity supply issues.
"There's no infrastructure here, it's gone, it's on its knees."
Councillors voted 13-1 to reject the plan.
Afterwards, Wallace told the Local Democracy Reporting Service she was "absolutely delighted with the decision".
Asked about the prospect of an appeal from the developer, she said: "We'll face that when it comes."
"I think we've got strong reasons why it shouldn't go through, we'll just keep on fighting."
