Fears over Yarm housing plan impact

A Teesside MP is calling for the government to look again at plans for up to 350 homes in a Teesside town.

Stockton Council's planning committee approved the application at Morley Carr Farm, Yarm, after a report saying it would help meet housing needs.

Conservative Stockton South MP James Wharton has asked the government to call in the decision.

An action group was set up against the plans amid concerns including increased traffic and building on rural land.

Mr Wharton said he did not believe it was a sustainable development and the traffic issues alone were a "pretty much insurmountable" problem.

Traffic concerns

Lynne Casey, from Morley Carr Action Group, said: "The level of traffic in Yarm is unbelievable at the moment, it's only going to get worse.

"There is also the pressure on schools, the pressure on the health centre and that is just a few of the issues really."

A report to the planning committee said the plans would help meet housing needs and that it was a sustainable development.

In a statement, Labour and independent-run Stockton Council said there had been a period of public consultation, it had received a large number of responses and people had been given the chance to address the committee.