PLANS to build 16 new homes on green belt land in Newbrough have been given the go-ahead.

The proposal for 12 affordable and four open market homes on land at ‘Butt Bank’, adjacent to Stanegate Cottages, was discussed at Northumberland County Council’s strategic planning committee meeting last Wednesday.

Local resident David Penn spoke on behalf of 16 objectors who live close to the site.

He said: “It’s a small village; a working village with a high percentage of affordable housing already. We are not opposed to affordable housing in the village.

“The parish council put forward a number of sites to be considered.

“This application has chosen the worst in the village and it is not the one that would have been chosen by the parish council as being suitable.

“It includes large houses and large gardens.

“It is harmful because it’s in the green belt, but even more harmful because of the size of the buildings.”

A statement from ward councillor Rupert Gibson was distributed for councillors to read.

It said: “I have been viewing this application from the beginning and I find that the logic in this application does not stack up. The site is in the green belt. That is a fact.

“If the developers applied for four market dwellings only on this site, would they receive planning permission? I would suggest not. So how can the project go forward?”

At the meeting, the agent for developer Partner Construction, Alastair Wills, said: “There’s strong demand, particularly for bungalows, to provide a wide variety of housing in the area.

“It provides a rare opportunity to ensure families can stay in the area.”

A report by senior planning officer Kate Blyth, which recommended that the plans be approved, was considered at the meeting.

It stated that ordinarily, being able to provide affordable housing would not constitute the very special circumstances needed to build on green belt land.

However it continued: “The housing to be located at the site has been proven to be required in this specific area and there are site specific reasons, including the landowner’s dowry, which mean that it can only be provided here.”

A local family left a dowry of £400,000, which is restricted to providing affordable housing only within Newbrough.

Members of the strategic planning committee voted unanimously in favour of approving the development.