RESIDENTS say they are “extremely concerned” that work on a major new housing development of hundreds of homes could cause their own properties to flood.

Construction has begun on new homes on the North Northallerton site near Brompton, which are currently in the early stages of development.

It is part of a development that will be one of the largest-ever in North Yorkshire and will see more than 1,000 new homes alongside a primary school, a sports village and commercial buildings, as well as a link road and bridge over the railway between Darlington and Stokesley roads.

But homeowners on Northallerton Road in Brompton say they have been watching the site being developed with growing concern.

Resident Nicola Pritchard said their houses run north to south, with the new development behind them, to the east and a road in front of them to the west, which is slightly higher than their properties. She said the ground level of the development has been raised by about a metre, making it likely any rain water run-off to channel towards their homes.

“We have now discovered that the developers are in the process of raising the ground level in that field by about a metre, making it significantly higher than our existing properties,” she said.

“Because the road is already higher than the ground level of our properties, the raising of the field level means that our existing homes are effectively the ditch in which floodwater will accumulate.”

She says the land was previously a farm field and excess water would soak away and be carried away by the nearby beck.

The approved plans for the development stated surface water would be stored in underground tanks and held until the beck could cope with the extra water, but nearby residents are unconvinced this will prevent flooding.

She added: “Prolonged rain could easily produce a situation where the water tanks are full and the stream unable to take any extra discharge - and when the tanks are full, they can have no further impact on flooding - they effectively fail to exist. Excess water will head for the newly-created lowest level - our properties.

“We are at present trying to negotiate a way through the opaque jargon of the developers and council departments but time and our lack of expertise is against us.

Hambleton District Council said drainage was looked at as part of the planning process and it was not aware of any problems at present.