A HEXHAM councillor has criticised the county council after being denied the chance to speak at a committee meeting considering a document which recommends that 600 homes be built on prime green belt land in the town.

Conservative county councillor for Hexham East, Coun. Cath Homer, has spent months working with residents who are members of the Hexham Green Belt Group to fight the proposals for land off Shaws Lane contained in the council’s core strategy document.

A 15-page dossier of concerns, supported by 1,000 local signatures, was submitted as part of a six-week consultation on “major modifications” to the core strategy of Northumberland’s Local Plan.

However, Coun. Homer and the residents feel their concerns over the deletion of the green belt, and the lack of infrastructure to support such an influx of new homes, have not been addressed.

Coun. Homer asked to air the concerns one last time when members of the economic Ggrowth and strategic tansport overview and scrutiny committee met on Tuesday to consider the final draft of the planning document before it is submitted for approval.

However, a letter received from the democratic services department at the council, on behalf of the committee’s chairman, Coun. Alan Sambrook, said Coun. Homer’s comments had already been taken into consideration.

“It’s an absolute disgrace that the council are not willing to listen to anything further on the matter,” said Coun. Homer.

“I wrote as soon as the papers came out on February 7, asking for a slot to speak, and I’m disappointed that the request has been denied.

“But, unfortunately, this is what many people have come to expect from the current administration which is ploughing ahead without any regard for the feedback they’ve had from the people of Hexham.”

Final submission of the core strategy was also due to be considered by a meeting of the council’s cabinet yesterday and will go before a full council meeting at County Hall next Wednesday.

A county council spokesman said: “The decision was taken by the committee chairman that only members of the scrutiny committee would speak at yesterday’s meeting as it was the final draft and all comments received to date had been incorporated.

“It was made clear at the meeting that all members would have the opportunity to comment on the document at the county council meeting on February 22.

“Coun. Homer did speak at length last May and submitted a speech and she will have further chance to comment at full council.”