THE leader of Stockton Borough Council has described a Government U-turn to allow 550 homes to be built in Ingleby Barwick as “farcical.”

The application to allow the housing development near a new Free School was unanimously rejected by the council’s planning committee and the Government’s planning inspector.

However that Government decision has now been over-turned after Jersey-based housing developers, Tiviot Way Investments, had the original appeal decision quashed at the High Court.

That has left Stockton tax-payers facing a £100,000 legal bill.

Tiviot Way Investments had argued to the High Court that their development would significantly boost the borough’s housing supply but Stockton council countered that it would destroy protected ‘green wedge’ land.

Secretary of state of local government, Greg Clarke, said the new houses would provide “much-needed housing over the next five years.”

The new homes will be built at Little Maltby Farm in the Low Lane area.

Leader of Stockton council, Bob Cook, Labour, said: “It’s farcical. The Government has done so many U-turns on this it’s enough to make you feel dizzy.

“Shortly before last year’s General Election they bucked their established trend of overturning our local planning decisions by actually supporting our rejection of this unnecessary development.

“Today’s change of heart makes that seem very hollow indeed, and makes a mockery of Government rhetoric about devolution and local decision making.

“This is yet another case of the Government overturning a housing application rejected here, despite local opposition and when people see these 550 houses getting built they should remember that they were properly considered and unanimously rejected by this Council’s Planning Committee, only to be waved through by the Government.

“We have already paid hefty High Court and legal costs of more than £100,000 defending planning decisions in the Low Lane area of Ingleby Barwick and at a time when there is extreme pressure on the Council’s budgets. Our planning officers must make their recommendations reflective of national planning policy and appeal decisions. That is why, despite local opposition, some schemes are recommended for approval because the professional view has to reflect these factors. It is quite wrong.”

Cllr Ross Patterson, Ingleby Barwick Independent, was also upset and said more than 600 children are still being bussed into schools outside Ingleby Barwick.