A major developer has come under fire as a plan for flagpoles and signs at a housing site was described as the “final straw” for exasperated residents.

Taylor Wimpey’s Oaklands development for 97 homes in Kirklevington, Yarm drew complaints over noise, flooding risk from a drainage “lake” and wagons rolling through a quiet village.

It attracted criticism from councillors and Stockton South MP Matt Vickers, who said residents were owed an apology.

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Now the developer has faced opposition after it erected four flagpoles around its show homes off St Martins Way. Stockton Council said it “did not erect the signage as approved” so Taylor Wimpey applied for retrospective planning permission for its flags and signs.

A spokesperson for the firm said retrospective planning permission was applied for after it became clear that the flagpoles had been installed in the wrong locations by mistake. The company has apologised for any distress caused and removed the flag pole at the site entrance.

Six letters of objection were sent in and Kirklevington and Castle Leavington Parish Council said they found the plan “unbelievable”, calling for the flags to be removed. Objectors said the flags were extremely noisy in windy weather, disturbed residents and were “unnecessary visual clutter” too close to homes.

Planning officers recommended approval of the scheme, saying it would not have enough of a “significant adverse impact” to warrant refusal. However councillors on the planning committee which makes the final decisions spoke against the proposal.

Councillor Andrew Sherris, who represents Yarm, told the meeting: “Members who’ve read the report and the letter that’s come in today can probably understand the sheer exasperation of residents in Kirklevington, who have had to put up with every single issue from Taylor Wimpey with regards to conditions that have been broken. And I think this is perhaps just another example, possibly the final straw for some residents.

“Taylor Wimpey were given permission but no, Taylor Wimpey have got to decide themselves where they want to actually install these signs. It’s just come on top of a long list of problems, probably the worst site certainly in the Yarm/Kirklevington area.

“I just think it’s complete overkill. I just do not see why they cannot put these poles in the positions that they were given permission for. So I certainly won’t support it.”

Cllr Tony Riordan said: “I criticise that we haven’t got an enforcement resource within Stockton Council. This should have been a subject of enforcement, to enforce the original application, not bend over backwards to a large major developer who appear to be doing what they want and ignoring what this council has passed.

“It should be enforcement going back and saying, ‘Shift your gear, put it where you were permitted to put it in the first place and don’t be bothering us again.’ This is a sop to what we’re doing.

“It’s not a slight on officers. We haven’t got the resources, we should have the resources and we should be taking more enforcement when people, particularly developers, don’t play the game.”

Cllr Sylvia Walmsley said: “It does blight people’s lives, noise, especially interrupting their sleep. I think really these flagpoles should be taken down.”

Cllr Barry Woodhouse added: “I am annoyed about this. They should be made to take them down and put them in the proper place, end of story, no argument.”

Cllr Norma Stephenson said: “It’s, ‘we didn’t like the permission we got for the first one so we’re going to do as we like after it.’ It’s overkill, they will make a noise.

“This isn’t the first time we’ve had this issue with Taylor Wimpey. I just think they’re upsetting the residents.

“Can’t they come up with some sort of compromise and move them? I just can’t see why they want to dig their heels in.”

Principal planning officer Elaine Atkinson said two flagpoles could be erected to 4.6m-high without consent: “We have no control over that whatsoever.

“We know Taylor Wimpey have done what they’ve done, they’ve got it up. We can’t just go in with enforcement, we give them the opportunity to rectify it.” She added the flags were made of thin material and she did not hear significant noise when she visited on a windy day.

Head of legal services Julie Butcher said: “Fully appreciate your frustrations, but we can’t enforce simply because you think they should have complied with planning permission in the first place. They are entitled to apply to rectify the situation. You have to have expedient reasons to enforce because there’s harm.”

Cllr Woodhouse suggested deferring the proposals to request Taylor Wimpey “show some sympathy for neighbours and remove the offending flagpoles”. Cllr Sherris agreed: “Perhaps a discussion is needed and basically they need to get their act together at long last because it’s gone on long enough.”

Councillors voted 12-1 to defer the proposals. Cllr Stephenson added: “While we’re in deferral, the flags are still flapping, so can we make it a speedy get-together?”

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A Taylor Wimpey spokesperson said: “We applied for retrospective planning permission for four flagpoles, a double-sided sign and advertisements mounted to the temporary site hoarding, after it became clear that they had been installed in the wrong locations by mistake.

“We recognise councillors’ concerns and apologise for any distress that this may have caused. We have removed the flagpole to the site entrance in accordance with Councillor’s recommendation and have amended the planning application”.

The company previously said it was “committed to carrying out work on site with as minimal disruption as possible”, was aware of residents’ concerns and would update them and work closely with the council.