DESPITE claims from objectors that the proposed access will put children’s safety at risk, an outline planning application for up to 233 homes in Corbridge has won approval.

Access proved to be the main issue of contention when the proposal by Gladman Developments, for land west of Milkwell Lane near Corbridge Middle School, was considered by members of Northumberland County Council’s strategic planning committee during a meeting at Morpeth’s County Hall on Tuesday.

Despite passionate presentations against the scheme from chairman of Corbridge Parish Council, Coun. Maurice Hodgson, and fellow parish councillor, Coun. Marc Horn, the committee voted 13-1 to support the recommendation of senior planning officer, Caroline Jones, and approved the application with more than 40 conditions.

The meeting was told that a transport plan for construction traffic and a phasing plan, detailing work expected to be undertaken at the site over a period of up to 10 years, would be among the documentation which a future developer would need to submit for approval before building work would begin.

An agreement, including the construction of 36 affordable homes – equal to 15 per cent of housing on the site – would also be required.

Speaking on behalf of the applicant, Neil Morton, director of planning at GVA, said: “This site was safeguarded for housing development in the Tynedale Local Plan to meet the needs of Corbridge from 2006, i.e, now.”

He added that the county council’s Core Strategy identified Corbridge as being suitable for up to 300 new homes.

“The only alternative to meet that figure would be to release sites within the greenbelt, which the council has indicated it is not willing to do.”

He said the site would include a mix of detached and semi-detached family homes, as well as bungalows.

Speaking against the application, Coun. Marc Horn said widening a 250m stretch of Cow Lane, which would lead to a new school car park and turning loop for coaches, was not enough to make the access safe for cars, buses, lorries and pedestrians.

“I would urge you all to think of Murphy’s Law, which says that an accident waiting to happen, will happen, it’s just a matter of time.”

Coun. Hodgson expressed concerns over the scale and impact on village infrastructure the application would have, citing a projection of housing growth within the Core Strategy as five to six per cent.

However, he claimed that permission granted for over 130 new homes in the village since 2011, coupled with another 233, would lead to an increase of 20 per cent.

“Local traders tell me 70 per cent of their business comes from visitors and 30 per cent from residents,” said Coun. Hodgson.

“But with the 400 or more extra residents’ cars which this development will bring, do you think the visitors we depend on are going to try to compete with them to get into the centre of the village?”

During a heated debate, several committee members sought reassurances from council highways and planning officers that they were satisfied the scheme’s only access met the neccessary safety requirements and that all other options had been explored.

Morpeth councillor, Andrew Tebbutt, said he was disappointed alternative access had not been found and reluctantly supported the application.

“I find it difficult to believe that bringing all that traffic past a school, when you’ve got children in and out at all different times of the day, can be safe,” he added.

“The highways staff have got a lot of work to do on the fine detail.”

County councillor for Corbridge, Jean Fearon was a lone voice among her colleagues – the only councillor to vote against approval of the application.

She told the meeting: “I have serious concerns over the safety of the 310 children, staff and parents who use the school.

“I know the site well because my own children went to Corbridge Middle School.”

Allendale’s Coun. Colin Horncastle said: “It’s clear many people in Corbridge, the parish council and the middle school aren’t happy about this.

“But we have our own paid professionals who deal with things, like access issues, day in, day out, so if they say it is safe, we have to go with our officers.”