A PETITION calling for Ponteland planning decisions to be called in by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has gathered over 600 signatures in its first week.

Ponteland Green Belt Group launched the petition in support of a letter to Sajid Javid, asking for all recent major planning decisions by Northumberland County Council to be ‘called in’.

The letter was signed by Ponteland resident groups and local county councillors.

On March 15, a meeting of the council’s strategic planning committee granted outline planning permission for 2,000 homes at Dissington Garden Village, 400 homes at West Clickemin Farm and a new education and leisure campus in Ponteland – all on green belt land.

The applications are to be referred to the Secretary of State to decide whether he wishes to call in the applications for his own determination.

The online petition, which had gathered 659 signatures on Tuesday, states there is a lack of confidence in the council’s administration and its decision making process.

Chairman of the Ponteland Green Belt Group, Tony Noble, pointed to the fact that not all objections to the three applications were uploaded to the council’s online portal.

And he claimed that a budget report, dated before the planning committee meeting, was sent to households with their council tax bills and included details of Dissington Garden Village.

Mr Noble said: “When they were approved, we weren’t surprised at all; the evidence points to the fact it was predetermined. It makes a mockery of democracy.

“We are not opposed to development if it is needed, but this is on top of the 650 houses that are going to be built in Ponteland through already accepted planning applications. It needs to grow proportionately.”

A spokeswoman for Northumberland County Council said: “We appreciate these proposals generated a lot of discussion. Determining a planning application is a formal administrative process involving strict rules of procedure.

“This decision was taken in an open and transparent manner by a committee of cross party councillors who acted both fairly and impartially.

“All views and comments made in response to the planning applications were taken into account by the strategic planning committee.”