TEMPERS flared as a packed meeting heard Darlington Borough Council’s planning committee give outline permission for 200 new homes in Middleton St George.

Residents, parish councillors and ward councillors gave passionate arguments against the development and cries of “shame on you” and loud booing echoed around Central Hall as the planning committee voted six to four in favour of the new homes.

Committee chair Cllr Paul Baldwin said that the council was bound by national policy guidelines and that many of the objections to the development, on land off High Stell, would not stand up to an appeal if permission was refused.

Many of the residents' objections centred on existing traffic problems that they say will be exacerbated by 200 more homes in the area, despite a second access point being added to the original plans.

Another area of concern was the effect on local amenities, specifically the school, St George’s Academy, which is full to capacity.

Under the plans the school would be extended to accommodate 105 more pupils but ward councillor Doris Jones said it was a “shocking betrayal” that some children already living in the village were unable to attend it.

She added that previous discussions with the council about expanding the building had concluded that it was not possible and clarification was sought on who would fund its £2 million expansion.

Cllr Baldwin said about £600,000 would come from the developer, with the remainder coming from another ongoing development in the village.

Cllr Charles Johnson moved an amendment to reject the housing application and this was supported by Cllr Ian Galletley who said that the number of objectors attending the meeting was “quite unprecedented”.

He added: “I believe that when we get this amount of public involvement there is a bigger reason for it other than just a number of homes being built, and what I got from the whole debate is a sense of injustice and unfairness.

“I would ask my fellow committee members to consider this as a moral matter as much as a technical matter.”

Cllr Galletley said that Middleton St George residents were paying the price of the council’s failure to demonstrate it had enough available land to meet housing need over the next five years.

Amid some confusion and a hostile atmosphere, a committee majority voted with the planning officer’s recommendation to approve the development.

Speaking afterwards, ward councillor Steve York said that Middleton St George residents had been “let down” by the council.

A defiant Cllr Jones said that she was now ensuring that the matter is called in so the Secretary of State will hear all objections before any further progress is made.