NEARLY 4,500 people have objected to plans to build 150 houses next to a nature reserve.

Stockton Borough Council has received the objections to the proposed development, which would include call centres, e-commerce centres, a hotel and health club, and a sailing centre, near the Tees, at Bowesfield, Stockton.

Developer HJ Banks is carrying out tests to see what impact extra traffic from the new homes would have on south Stockton.

When the tests are complete, councillors will decide whether to approve the development, which would be next to Three Holmes winter fowl wetlands.

A council spokeswoman said it was not known how much longer the tests would last.

Green group English Environment has hit out at the plans, saying they would ruin an important green wedge area.

Spokesman Bryan Moore said: "The development would lead to the extermination and extinction of wildlife and spoil the beauty of the wetlands, which is the most endangered habitat in Europe."

He said that public objections had been sent to the council from people in Yarm, Eaglescliffe, Egglescliffe, Thornaby, Stockton - and some as far away as Canada, Australia and Germany.

Mr Moore said: "They all say they want to see Three Holmes winter wildfowl wetlands site left natural and unaltered as a wetlands habitat, and that they would like to see it protected as a nature reserve.

"David Bellamy has said that 94 per cent of the wetlands have disappeared on Teesside already."

Thornaby Town Council has already complained about the development being on a green wedge area.

It is consulting with the regional planning authority to try to get more areas of Teesside recognised as green belt, which can be more easily protected than green wedge areas.