A COUNCIL has defended rejecting proposals for 69 homes on sites in Catterick Garrison after the developer refused to include any affordable homes.

Gleeson Homes now have to rethink plans for houses at Somerset Close and Gough Road after a planning inspector threw out an appeal by the company after Richmondshire District Council refused their scheme.

The council's corporate director Callum McKeon said the builders had accused the council of inflexibility saying it has had 200 expressions of interest in buying the homes.

He said: “We refused this application because Gleeson would not include any any truly affordable homes in the development, a policy requirement for all developments in Richmondshire.

"The company believed that because the homes were low in price they could bypass our rules. If a new home is sold at a low price it only benefits the first purchaser but Gleeson made no attempt to ensure that the homes remained affordable.

“While we are disappointed that these new homes will not now be built, which would have brought jobs and income to the district, we cannot allow one developer to flout the rules when all other developers are playing their part in delivering affordable housing across the district."