A PETITION calling on Redcar and Cleveland Council to stop the sale of some of its land earmarked for housing, has been handed in to the authority.

Liberal democrat councillors in Ormesby and Nunthorpe are demanding the end of the sale of the field at Swan’s Corner, Nunthorpe.

The petition contains more than 650 signatures.

However, the council’s cabinet member of economic growth, Cllr Dale Quigley, expressed his surprise at the late decision to object to the proposal which has been on the cards for around three years.

Cllr Glyn Nightingale, who is one of the ward councillors who arranged the petition, raised concerns about the level of housing in the area.

He said: “Residents question the need to build more houses locally, especially in view of the actual and projected fall in the borough’s population, the massive extension of house building in the south of Middlesbrough and Guisborough and the threat of a successful appeal for 320 new houses at Longbank Farm.

“They are deeply concerned about the impact not only on traffic locally, which is already horrendous, but also on school places and lost of local amenities.”

Fellow Ormesby Ward councillor Ann Wilson, added: “More house building locally is unnecessary, unsuitable for the needs of local people and completely contradicts local planning policy on numerous grounds.”

While Cllr Irene Nightingale said: “As local ward councillors, we fully support the determination of local residents to oppose the planned sale of the field for housing at Swan’s Corner and call upon the council to rethink its entire housing strategy in line with the real needs of local people.”

However, Cllr Quigley criticised the timing of the Lib Dem councillors’ petition.

He said: “I have to say that I am surprised that it is only at this stage that the Liberal Democrats are protesting. The time to do that should surely have been when the land was put forward as being suitable for disposal – and that, by my reckoning, was some three years ago. To come in with a petition now is a bit like trying to bolt the stable door when the horse has left.

“Having said that the land was specifically marketed on the basis that any purchaser would need to obtain planning permission for development. Local people are opposed to such development, they have the opportunity to construct and argue a case for refusal of planning consent based on planning grounds.”