PLANS for housing on a greenfield site are set to be rejected by planning bosses in Hambleton after it was revealed that almost double the number of potential new housing sites demanded by the government have already been earmarked.

The site is one of two new housing schemes being proposed at Leeming Bar, near Bedale. Six other housing sites creating hundreds of extra homes in the area have already been built or are in the pipeline in Aiskew, Bedale and Leeming Bar, including the latest one for around 70 homes at Lyngarth in South End, Bedale.

The two latest planning applications have been been submitted to Hambleton District Council by David Eyles, for estates on land at Northallerton Road, Leeming Bar, backing onto an existing group of houses, just off the main A684 road between Northallerton and Bedale.

Officers are urging councillors to approve plans for one site of 13 houses, but reject another one for 17 houses.

In a report to the planning committee which meets on Thursday, May 26 officer Helen Laws said: "The scheme comprises a greenfield development including a proportion of best and most versatile agricultural land. The proposal would therefore be a form of unsustainable development causing environmental harm.”

Aiskew and Leeming Bar Parish Council objected to the plan because of concerns over the sewage system. Three other residents also objected warning that there had been flooding in the area previously and the sewer was known to be old and up to, if not beyond, capacity.

Yorkshire Water did not object but recommended conditions on a sewer diversion.

One of the biggest issues raised by the application was housing need. Mrs Laws said there had been no under supply on figures since April 2014 to ensure choice and competition in the housing market.

She said going on government rules, the five year housing land requirement for Hambleton district was 1,438.

“The council has undertaken a robust survey of all sites with extant planning permission and allocations to assess the expected delivery of housing. This latest monitoring data shows a deliverable supply of 2,781 dwellings over the next five years.

"This exceeds the revised five year housing land requirement by 1,341 dwellings, and allows the council to demonstrate a deliverable supply for the next 9.7 years.

“The site lies beyond the development limits of Leeming Bar. The proposal fails to meet any of the exceptional circumstances,” she adds.