AN EXHIBITION outlining the biggest single development in a market town's history has received a mixed reaction as residents flocked to see it.

Developers are proposing to build over 1,000 new homes, a rail bridge and connecting link road, a new school and commercial and retail areas on a 53 acre site at the North End, on the outskirts of Northallerton.

The scheme which involves developers Mulberry Homes, Persimmon Homes and Taylor Wimpey, would mean a major expansion of the town over the next 15 years.

One of the key elements is the rail bridge and new link road between Stokesley Road and Darlington Road, designed to alleviate huge traffic problems caused at the existing Low Gates level crossing.

Northallerton businessman Charles Barker said anything helping to relieve the chronic congestion would be of benefit.

“I don’t think this is a total solution for the traffic problems, but it will help," he said. "From a business point of view the extra homes will be a good thing as long as the builders have done their research and there is a need for all these extra homes.”

But resident Gordon Tyreman, who attended today's (Monday April 13) exhibition and consultation held at the Golden Lion in Northallerton, said the bypass will make things worse for the nearby village of Brompton. “They are turning Brompton into a rat run, traffic will be sent through there. It’s dangerous as it is and this will just make it worse. We had previous plans for a bypass and they were much better.”

Another resident, who asked not to be named, added: "I can’t see the new road will relieve the congestion it will just move it from Darlington Road onto Stokesley Road. And who is going to live in all these new homes, everywhere is closing down, we have lost the Rural Payments Agency and the prison and now Homebase and B&Q are going.”

Alan Turner, who lives in the town said: "We certainly need the new road, that is definitely needed but I’m not sure about all these new homes. Are they going to be taken up by a housing association and people brought in from elsewhere ? ”

Planning consultant Richard Irving said the scheme is for a strategic site earmarked for development in the local plan.

“It is earmarked for mixed use, for housing, employment and social use. What this consultation is about is taking the allocation, and the approved masterplan and forming it into a planning application which will be submitted to Hambleton District Council in the next few weeks. We have had a lot of interest, particularly in the link road and the rail bridge.”

The initial application will be for full consent for 310 houses to be built on two separate sites to the East and West of the development along with the link road and bridge. The link road and bridge would be built in the first five years.