PLANNING councillors are being urged to reject a new homes scheme on green space in Guisborough.

Officers say there is no need for extra housing which would justify use of the site. But the applicant has already appealed because the council has not made a decision on the scheme.

Charles Church North East wants to build 15 detached homes on the site of a former riding school at Campion Drive. The project has not been put before Redcar and Cleveland's planning committee because a number of issues have still to be resolved on layout.

So far a request for more information has not been met.

Local campaigners, however, have already gone into action in a bid to halt the scheme. Protesters say it is a new threat to use of open land.

Gambol - Guisborough against more buildings on open land - also fears the development could set a precedent for more housing.

Next week, the planning committee will be told a statement, basically saying the application should be resisted, has been sent to the government inspectorate, in line with appeal rules.

Planning officer Doreen Mealing said more than 100 objections had been received.

Officials are unhappy with the scheme because it does not blend in with local plan policies on areas such as road layout and residential amenity.

But planning guidelines also state that re-use of previously developed land should be encouraged before green field sites.

The applicants argue that all the site is previously developed land.

Gambol spokesman Mr Mike Heagney said the land was withdrawn from an area which became part of an earlier public inquiry and so was not subject to the findings.

The action group fears extra traffic, loss of a historic landscape and pollution problems.

"People bought homes in this part of Guisborough because they liked the surroundings," he said. "It would be wrong for the council to change the nature of the area by allowing further building. We must stop any development on this scale."