AN MP has written a strongly worded letter to a borough mayor to back community activists trying to prevent thousands of new homes being built in South Stockton.

James Wharton, Conservative MP for Stockton South, said it was Stockton Borough Council’s fault that permission to build more than 2,000 new homes has been granted in the last two years.

He said he supported the Save Stockton South (SSS) campaign group who struck up a petition signed by more than 2,000 residents to have a debate on the issue.

The petition mans the issue will be discussed at a full council meeting next month, on a date yet to be set.

Leaders of the Labour-led Stockton Borough Council have blamed what has effectively been a relaxing of planning rules by the Conservative/Liberal Democrat government.

Mr Wharton’s letter to the borough’s mayor, coun Kathryn Nelson, has pledged support to SSS.

In the letter he said the council’s local plan is not up to date, its projections for its five-year housing supply is wrong and the council has failed to take into the account the need for development to be sustainable.

Mr Wharton said: “Stockton council needs to accept responsibility for its actions and to immediately take steps to support concerned local people.”

Louise Baldock, Mr Wharton’s Labour Party opponent in next year’s General Election in the highly marginal Stockton South constituency, has launched a campaign to prevent hundreds of more than 1,000 new homes being build in Ingleby Barwick. However the experienced councillor argued the blame for new housing really lies with the Government.

She said: “Stockton council has previously turned down some applications for housing on the grounds they were not sustainable developments but been overruled by a Government hell bent on building houses at any cost.

“It is rich for James Wharton to point the finger when it is his own Government’s hugely unpopular policy that is tying local council’s hands and residents should be aware that despite his bluster, he has never once officially objected to any application for house building in his constituency.”

Mr Wharton responded by saying he didn’t submit formal objections because that would risk politicising the committee. “This is a silly point from a new candidate who clearly doesn't understand how to approach planning issues,” he said.