A LOCAL plan to protect the Redcar and Cleveland area from speculative developers has moved a step closer to be approved.

The council has been unable to defend applications that would have fallen outside permitted boundaries after the authority allowed its plan to run out when members were unable to agree on an outline proposal in 2014.

However, some councillors believe that the proposed plan is too little too late and flawed.

Independent councillor Steve Kay raised concerns about the accepted locations for potential green energy sites in East Cleveland should be removed with the focus turned onto the River Tees corridor.

He said: “The extensive areas of East Cleveland which are still identified for renewable energy are still included and I thought the intention was to designate areas all along the River Tees. These areas are right on edge of the national park. I feel that these area which have been identified in east Cleveland should be either taken out of the plan completely or significantly reduced.”

However, Cllr Dale Quigley, the cabinet member for economic growth, said Cllr Kay’s concerns had been listened to during the scrutiny process of developing the plan.

Liberal Democrat Glyn Nightingale told cabinet members that he thought there was an element of ‘shutting the gate too late’ to the proposals.

Council leader Labour’s Cllr Sue Jeffrey warned that any delay in the proposed plan being accepted at full council next month could lead to further ‘speculative’ applications being submitted for housing developments.

“We have had cross party groups working on this and inevitably there will be pieces in this document that won’t please all councillors,” she said. “Our failure to shut the door in 2014 has led to some serious issues and that has left us susceptible to speculative applications from developers.

She added: “I would urge all members to support the local plan and to prevent us being subject to multiple applications in the future. The plan proposes to protect us from the loss of our character here in Redcar and Cleveland.”

However, Cllr Kay said he would be unable to support the plan if he felt it was unsatisfactory in his opinion.

He said: “I think there is an element that we have to agree to it otherwise we will be in a bigger mess than before.”

The proposal was unanimously passed by members of the authority’s cabinet and will now go before full council on November 17.