Members of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council’s regulatory committee heard an impassioned plea to remove the ‘blight’ of the slaughterhouse from Boosbeck in east Cleveland.

Villagers fought plans to re-open the abattoir and continually complained about the noise and smells emanating from the site in the heart of the village.

The £3m halal slaughterhouse opened on the site of a previous abattoir in 2013 and villagers had launched a number of unsuccessful legal challenges to have it closed.

The abattoir operators, BHM, went into administration last June, but villagers feared the slaughterhouse would simply reopen under new ownership.

Residents had submitted a petition with 143 signatories opposing the scheme with concerns raised about the level of development and the loss of open space.

However, the application also received support from villagers who are pleased the slaughterhouse would be demolished but also urged developers to take into consideration the views from existing properties.

Neville Brown, who campaigned tirelessly for the closure of the abattoir, welcomed the proposal to demolish the building.

He said: “The sooner this stinking hell-hole is knocked down and put in the dustbin of history, the better for all concerned, including this council. The main objective is to get that building down.”

Applicant Steve Hesmondhalgh, of Hesland Green, assured members that if permission was granted that the abattoir building would be demolished by the summer.

He said using the green space was the only way to make the redevelopment of the site financially viable as it had been on the market for several years before it reopened as the slaughterhouse.

Councillor Steve Turner called for the application to be approved to ensure that the ‘blot on the landscape’ abattoir was removed for once and all.

He said: “The vast majority of people in the village have fought long, hard and loudly to have it removed.

“I understand the developer’s point that they need to make it viable as a business, I personally think it should be considered what is best for the village as a whole and accept this development and move forward.

“It is not ideal but it is ideal to remove that abattoir from the village.”

Committee members voted unanimously to approve the outline application for the scheme to build 69 homes on the site as well as relocating the children’s play area.

Speaking after the meeting, Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland MP Tom Blenkinsop said: "The deal is a success for local people as it will mean the closure of the plant for good and the purchase of the land by a housing developer.

"Now that planning permission has been granted, the sooner the diggers are on the site, the better. I look forward to seeing the first new households moving into the village."