HUNDREDS of Ponteland residents turned out on Saturday to protest against controversial planning applications in their town.

Over 200 people gathered on Coates Green at St Mary’s Church as part of a protest, held to back up a petition set up by Ponteland Green Belt Group.

They are asking for three major planning decisions, earmarked for green belt land, to be “called in” by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

This comes after a meeting on March 15, where the 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.

Resident and Ponteland town councillor Christine Caisley set up the protest, which was supported by local county councillors Peter Jackson, Veronica Jones and Richard Dodd, and Hexham’s MP Guy Opperman.

Chairman of Ponteland Green Belt Group, Tony Noble, addressed the crowd on the day.

He said: “We had a lot of support.

“We believe the decision was predetermined, and I also pointed out to people that in 2014, Northumberland County Council said in the Core Strategy that any more than 4,000 homes would destroy the character of Ponteland.

“Christine organised it to support the online petition, because not everyone has access to online and social media.

“It was really a show of strength and a way to show that people are concerned about this.”

Ponteland Green Belt Group insisted that it is not opposed to development, but is of the belief that there is no need for developments of this size in Ponteland.

A petition asking for the “call-in”, has already received over 1,200 signatures.

A spokeswoman for Northumberland County Council said: “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.”