Plea for village bypass if new houses built at village near Yarm

Banks Property and Taylor Wimpey won permission to build up to 90 homes on land off St Martins Way, Kirklevington, after winning a planning appeal in 2018.

Now fresh proposals have been lodged for 97 homes on almost 14 acres of land south west of the village. 

So far, 111 objections have been sent to Stockton Council – with both Kirklevington Parish Council and Kirklevington Action Group airing misgivings.

And Stockton councillor Andrew Sherris wants Banks to do more to appease residents by finding an alternative access route to the new homes.

The Yarm independent says both he and villagers are worried about new residents accessing the estate through narrow routes into St Martins Way – causing more congestion in the village. 

He believes an access road directly off the A67 is possible – and wants developers to find a compromise. 

Cllr Sherris said: “Residents in the village know they have lost the battle on this application.

“But there is a way for Banks to show that they can at least try and live up to their words of goodwill and go above and beyond to at least alleviate the situation.

“If heavy construction traffic quoted at being estimated at five per hour could be kept out of the village, then at least residents could relax a little and feel safer. 

“It makes no sense at all to have such traffic past the children’s play area, village hall and primary school – and then have to negotiate narrow twisting estate roads that date back to the 1970s.”

The Planning Inspectorate overturned a refusal of up to 90 homes on the stretch in 2018 after councillors on Stockton planning committee turned the bid down over traffic fears.  Cllr Sherris believed the inspector’s decision and the developer’s approach “stuck in the throat”. 

He added: “I know that Story Homes on the adjacent site have been keen to have dialogue – and I would call on both the developers to start talking.”

James Seabury, from Banks Property, said the firm was proud to be investing in the Kirklevington scheme – and safe transport management was “absolutely central” to preparing all its projects. 

He added: “In the case of this development, it has already clearly been demonstrated that a suitable access to the site will be provided during both its construction and operational phases from St Martins Way – and that no alternative route is required.

“This view was supported by both Stockton Council’s expert planning officers, who recommended our original planning application for approval, and the Planning Inspectorate, which subsequently approved our appeal against the rejection of that plan.”

Mr Seabury added the plans would bring an estimated five vehicles every hour during the construction phase – or an average of one vehicle every 12 minutes.  The developer said this would not have a severe impact on traffic on the estate – and it would continue to work with residents and councillors on efforts to create its housing vision.