MOVES to transfer a steel fabrication plant into a town’s developing retail and residential heart are being opposed by councillors.

Northallerton Town Council is objecting to plans to turn a former joiners shop at Walter Thompson Construction House in the town’s High Street into a fabrication plant with a paint shop.

The application has been submitted for Langtons, part of the FT Group, a construction company including Walter Thompson’s which has a turnover of £40m and employs over 300 people

The application is seeking to change the use, but Cllr Paul Atkin told members of Northallerton Town Council it was the wrong place for this type of development.

“It is the wrong place for an industrial site," he said. "It is bordered by residential buildings. There would be excessive noise, plant spraying, storage of gas bottles and HGV’s moving, similar type of things to an industrial estate.

"Life will change, people won’t be able to sit in their gardens throughout the day, it is the wrong location, that site should be turned into housing. I think we should strongly object to this."

He said over the years that area of the town has been changed to retail and residential, losing a scrap yard and a coach works and with more sites earmarked for housing.

A resident has also objected. She said: "The site is bordered on three sides by residential properties all within a maximum 100ft from the proposed steel fabrication plant.

"Noise from a steel fabrication factory is excessive with grinding, cutting, welding and moving large steel girders on a daily basis.

“Northallerton is building houses throughout the area, surely the site would be better suited to a residential development rather than industrial.”

In the application submitted to Hambleton District council Consultants for the FT Group say the proposal comply with the development plan.

They add: "The proposed change of use will support the existing business whilst also re-using an existing building. The assessment and consideration, including the supporting noise report demonstrates that that there will be no adverse impact on neighbouring residential properties and as such residential amenity levels will be maintained.

"Overall, the existing Core Strategy and Development Policies look to support such economic development and as a result this application should be looked upon favourably and approved without delay as it represents a sustainable form of economic development.”