Controversial Stokesley housing development given the go-ahead

A controversial housing development has been given the go-ahead despite widespread objections.

Developer Northumbria Land has been granted outline planning permission to build 183 homes on farmland on the western edge of Stokesley.

The plans for the estate include a mix of house types, roundabout access to the site from Westlands as well as pedestrian and cycle connections.

There will also be parking, internal estate roads, open space and landscaping.

Similar proposals to build 193 properties on the same land and by the same company were previously rejected in May 2012.

Northumbria Land appealed the ruling to the Secretary of State but following a two-day inquiry, planning inspector Kath Ellison dismissed the appeal on the homes.

But now the new application for the scaled-down proposals has been accepted by Hambleton Council despite dozens of objection letters.

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The White House Farm housing consultation event at Stokesley Town Hall

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One resident said: “I believe that this is an over-ambitious development of a scale that is wholly inappropriate and unsuitable for its location.

“The volume of traffic into what is already a very constrained and problematic access road east into Stokesley centre will inevitably create unsustainable congestion and hazards to pedestrians and other road users.”

Another said: “I object to this development. We already live in town with plenty of houses for sale and our primary school, doctors and dentists are already full to brimming.”

Stokesley Parish Council also formally objected to the White House Farm housing development.

A statement from Northumbria Land to Hambleton Council said: “The proposals will provide a mix of well-designed family and starter homes that will help meet the needs and aspirations of present and future Stokesley residents.

“The proposed development will provide an attractive addition to the surrounding residential areas.”

Following the decision, a spokesperson for campaign group Save Our Stokesley said: “The decision is disappointing and will have far reaching implications for the town.”

But he said “it is an outline application and the objective should now to be to ensure that the specific design and details work well with the town.”