OBJECTORS battling proposals to sacrifice prime green belt land in Hexham for up to 600 homes feel they have been ignored.

Despite submitting a 15-page dossier of objections supported by 1,000 local signatures, aimed at protecting a vast site off Shaws Lane, members of the Protect Hexham Green Belt Group say Northumberland County Council is “ploughing on regardless”.

The objections, submitted as part of a six-week consultation on “major modifications” to the core strategy of Northumberland’s Local Plan, claim that the council has failed to demonstrate the exceptional circumstances required to allow for the deletion of the green belt site.

Lack of infrastructure in the town to support such an influx of new residents and an “improper disregard of alternative sites”, have also been highlighted by the opposition group, made up of residents and local councillors.

However, none of the concerns appear to have been addressed in a draft report outlining the next steps, following the consultation which took place in the summer.

“Where Hexham is concerned, the council is ploughing on regardless of the 1,000 people who signed to support the objections of the green belt group,” said county councillor for Hexham East, Cath Homer, who has been working with the green belt group.

“The small win for us was keeping any more developers away from Corbridge Road. We all know enough is enough there. What I would say is that it’s not over yet.

“We’ve outlined our case to directly address the inspector who will carry out the independent examination of the whole plan, and they will be looking to check that everything the council have done is water tight.”

Coun. Allan Hepple, cabinet member for economic growth at the county council, said: “We believe that these final modifications put the plan on a very firm footing for Government inspection next year.

A report on all of the final major modifications was considered by the council’s economic growth and strategic transport overview and scrutiny committee on Tuesday and will go before the cabinet on Wednesday.

If agreed, the changes will be consulted on from November 11 to December 23, with submission to Government then scheduled for March 2017.