An appeal hearing over a controversial housing plan has been given a new date.

Government-appointed inspector Susan Hunt is to conduct the one-day hearing into Mandale Homes’ proposals to build 215 homes on fields at Mount Leven Farm, Leven Bank Road, Yarm. The appeal will now be heard in July.

The hearing had been set with another inspector for May. However it was postponed for a different inspector to be appointed “due to a personal conflict of interest”.

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Read more: Revised plans for 215 homes in Yarm submitted despite objections

Now the rescheduled hearing will be held at Stockton Business Centre on Tuesday, July 11. The inspector is expected to visit the site on the previous day.

The appeal will hear discussion on four main issues – whether the proposed development would adequately meet older people’s needs, whether the Mount Leven roundabout is safe and suitable for it, effects on road safety, green space and the area’s character and appearance.

Evidence and debate will be heard about the need for housing, previously approved proposals, specialist accommodation, access to the site, transport and accidents, landscape and visual effects, design, a country park and potential footbridge.

It will also include discussion of policy, benefits, consultation, housing supply and planning history.

Stockton Council’s planning committee refused planning permission for the Mount Leven Farm scheme last December after objectors and residents spoke against it.

The proposal to build 180 houses and 35 bungalows in four “villages” on 12.6 hectares of farmland had sparked debate over control of planning decisions, with more than 100 objections and 23 letters of support, and criticisms over footpaths, cycle links, facilities, the Mount Leven roundabout and environmental concerns.

Council planning officers had recommended approving the proposed development but councillors on the committee rejected it by a 5-4 vote. The council now maintains the proposed development does not meet the needs of the ageing population and would harm the character and appearance of the area and green space, and the roundabout is confusing, unsafe and unsuitable.

The authority says Mandale Homes’ plan does not provide housing specifically meeting the needs of older residents as they would need to be adapted by the owners. It argues poor connectivity and lack of community and leisure facilities would make it “unattractive for an ageing population”, and it did not have the same benefits as a previous retirement village plan to outweigh the harm to green space.

The developer has said it was “disappointed” by the refusal and asserted councillors got it wrong and there were “no justifiable planning reasons to withhold planning permission”. The company said the “undefendable” reasons given failed to take proper account of changes made, consider “compelling evidence” or reflect the expert advice of council officers.

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Mandale Homes maintained its plan provided “accessible and adaptable housing”, argued councillors made a “flawed assumption” about age restrictions, and said landscape reasons for refusal were “added at the very last minute”.

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It said the proposals would create much-needed housing, support 666 jobs, generate almost £2.6m in tax revenue, help the delivery of a large country park and “result in no unacceptable impacts upon the character and significance of Yarm”.

The developer has also put in a separate, revised planning application for the same number of homes on the site. This has not yet been decided by the council but it too has drawn numerous objections, and some comments in support.