THE fourth proposal to build a retirement village in the grounds of an early Victorian mansion hangs in the balance after planners heard it resembled public toilets and buildings in a garrison town.

The design of the 80 flats and community facilities by developer Prospect Property Group off Newton Road, Great Ayton, received criticism at a meeting of Hambleton District Council’s planning committee, with members hearing it the buildings were packed tightly within a 2.25-acre area and contrasted with the character of the village.

The blueprint features 20 one-bedroom and 60 two-bedroom units in four blocks, up to three stories in heightand laid out in an angled radial arrangement overlooked by the grade II listed Cleveland Lodge and parkland.

While the majority of the site is allocated in the Hambleton Local Development Framework for very sheltered housing, with access to care and support, the development would extend more than 30m beyond the allocated site.

As management charges at the proposed development would make it unsuitable for affordable housing, the developer has agreed to pay a £800,000 to fund affordable housing elsewhere.

The developers’ agent Jonathan Saddington, said the application was the culmination of two years’ work and that the viability of the scheme was “on a knife-edge”.

District alderman John Fletcher told the meeting a retirement village within the area the council has set out at the site would be welcomed by some elderly Great Ayton residents, providing them with an opportunity to downsize.

He added: “It is hard to believe three-storey tenement blocks has any respect for the listed building and the parkland.

“Great Ayton council would welcome a plan set out within the area in the Local Development Framework.”

Ward member Councillor Bridget Fortune said she had been dismayed by the proposals for the village. She said: “This is not what Great Ayton was hoping for and would be detrimental to its history and character. It is more like a garrison town and the hub building reminds me of public toilets, for goodness sake.

“I wish the developer would go away and consider what people were anticipating.”