EXTRA homes on a “family-friendly” Teesside estate have been rejected over traffic fears.

Avant Homes had applied to put nine extra properties on the Low Gill housing estate, off Gypsy Lane, Marton. 

But worries over traffic, cars reversing off driveways and bins swayed Middlesbrough Council planning committee to vote against the bid on Friday afternoon (July 10). 

Land off High Gill road already has permission for 160 homes with a large chunk of the estate already built. 

Planning officials told the committee the extra nine new two, three and four-bedroom homes would be “spread out” over the estate – and the department didn’t consider the fresh plans unacceptable.

But Andrea Stirling, on behalf of residents of Beau Gardens, told councillors of worries about safety on the “family friendly estate” given the number of cars reversing off driveway onto “blind bends”. 

Ms Stirling added: “With the exception of four properties, each house (on Beau Gardens) has at least two cars with parking on the road and on the pavement.

“This currently presents a safety hazard which will be exacerbated should this proposal be approved.”

Cllr David Branson had questions about the parking demands which could be faced if passenger numbers increased at Gypsy Lane railway station, 

The member for Coulby Newham added: “If the number of people using the train increases, then you are going to have an issue at the bottom of the road giving access onto Gypsy Lane.

“Unless we tackle that, we could have a problem.”

And Cllr Tom Mawston, member for Marton East, said there were lots of objections to the original housing plan and believed highway problems were serious. 

“This change being asked for now will increase the volume of traffic,” he added.

“The road on Low Gill is not a wide one itself and there are traffic hazards.

“These houses will increase the number of traffic hazards.”

The plans had been recommended for approval by Middlesbrough Council’s planning department. 

Officer Andrew Glossop said parking was “not as much of an issue” on a road which wasn’t a main road – and “arguably helped to reduce traffic speed”.

He added: “Importantly on this, the parking bays in this proposed scheme are further away from the corners than what they were on the approved scheme so this is actually an improvement for visibility and cars reversing.”

Meanwhile, council highways officer Simon Thompson said survey data from similar sites had shown there would only be seven extra “vehicle movements” at morning and evening peak times. 

He added: “That equates just over one vehicle every 10 minutes.”

Cllr Joan McTigue, member for Longlands and Beechwood, said there were homes on blind bends “all over the town” and urged motorists to use common sense. 

The independent member also feared the council would lose any subsequent appeal by Avant Homes and have to foot the legal bill. 

Paul Clarke, head of planning, said there was a “good chance” any appeal would be successful.

“Equally, there is always a chance this authority could win that,” he added. 

“I can’t predict what the outcome would be – I think there is a strong possibility the applicant could win an appeal in this case.

“But if the committee was to refuse the application, we’d look to put up the most robust argument we could to defend that position.”

After more than 50 minutes of debate, the committee voted six to three against the extra homes.