AN APPEAL lodged by a developer wishing to build 110 homes just north of Stokesley has been withdrawn.

Gladman Developments had been seeking outline planning consent to build 110 homes on a five-and-a-half hectare parcel of land which sits next to the B1365 and A172 near Strikes garden centre.

Hambleton District Council officers recommended councillors refuse permission for the site, saying the proposed development would cause “significant landscape harm”, including the “urbanisation” of Stokesley’s countryside setting.

The site was also omitted from the Local Plan because of its separation from the rest of Stokesley by the B1365.

But the council didn’t have the opportunity to rule on the plans, as the 13-week deadline for councils to decide on applications passed and Gladman pre-empted the decision by lodged an appeal straight away, rather than waiting for the committee to turn the plans down.

The council said it had been unable to meet the deadline because several flooding and highways issues hadn’t been resolved to the satisfaction of North Yorkshire County Council.

Now the plans, which were left in the hands of the planning inspector, have been withdrawn by the developer.

The appeal had been due to be heard by the planning inspectorate during a planning appeal scheduled for July.

When the plans were announced, they were met with some objections.

More than 1,000 homes have been approved for development within a several mile radius of Stokesley and surrounding villages in recent years.

An initial leaflet from Gladman on the development had explained that half the homes – 55 properties – were expected to be “affordable”.

Stokesley Town Councillor Ian Blakemore said at the time he felt the issue was not that houses were being built, but the number of type of homes being proposed, as there were still many people in the area in desperate need of affordable homes.

He said he believed they had exceeded their five-year housing supply target and were now looking at a seven-year supply of homes being built.

Hambleton District Council confirmed the planning appeal had been withdrawn by the developer but did not wish to comment further.