CAMPAIGNERS cheered after a bid to build 500 new homes in Malton was refused planning permission.

Ryedale District Council's planning committee unanimously voted against the High Malton scheme submitted by The Fitzwilliam Malton Estate (FME).

FME's plan for the 21-hectare site between Castle Howard Road and Middlecave Road was recommended for refusal by planning officer Jill Thompson - and councillors backed her report.

West Malton Residents’ Group (WRMG) had campaigned against the plan and more than 60 people staged a protest before the meeting at Malton School on Tuesday.

WRMG chairman Ian Conlan said afterwards: "I'm absolutely delighted. I wouldn't have dreamt that it was going to be such an open and shut case. I'm very pleased that they followed the officer's recommendation.It is very clear that the members of the committee took our concerns very seriously." However, I don't think we have heard the last of air pollution issues."

"I would also like to open out the debate to those villages that have not been able to get developments where they would like."

Ms Thompson said the application had been with the council for one and a half years and "raised a number of issues and concerns".

Reasons cited for refusal included concerns over the development's size, air pollution, traffic, lack of social housing and damage to the views of areas such as the Howardian Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Ms Thompson's report stated: "The benefits of the proposed development do not outweigh the significant and demonstrable harm to the AONB by virtue of landscape and visual effects."

Local ward member Cllr Lindsay Burr said many of her concerns about the development had not been allayed, including fears over rising air pollution.

She added: "This development will exacerbate the terrible, terrible problems that we have on Butcher Corner. Housing is very important to Malton and the surrounding areas, but not at any cost."

The district council asks that all large developments provide 35 per cent of its properties as social housing, but the High Malton scheme only earmarked nine per cent, which Cllr Caroline Goodrick described as "derisory".

Speaking in the public forum, Cllr Paul Andrews said: "Malton is rapidly becoming overdeveloped and this development will put greater pressure on the town."

"You don't have to be a genius or a qualified county highways engineer to realise what a disastrous impact this will have on the town."

Malton School head teacher Rob Williams backed the scheme and said he was speaking on behalf of the heads at the town's two primary schools.

"I and my colleagues have no doubt that this aspirational application would deliver significant benefits to all three of the town's schools," he said.

He said the High Malton development would mean more pupils and therefore more vital funding for local schools.

"It's getting harder and harder for smaller primary schools and smaller secondary schools to remain economically viable."

"I would not be doing my job if I failed to bring these points to the attention of the committee.

"This is a moment for all of the councillors to show their mettle and seize an opportunity to benefit the community."

However Cllr Burr said: "Unfortunately money is not a material planning consideration. It cannot be a driver to push a planning application through."

Hannah Andrew, of WYG, the developer acting for FME, said the report was "particularly regrettable" and had a "frustrating focus on detailed matters at this outline stage".

She stressed: "We have taken great care to design an exceptional scheme."

Kim Slowe, managing director of sustainable development company ZeroC, also backed the scheme.

"This scheme is an extraordinary opportunity for Malton," he said.

"You have the perfect team to deliver a project that future generations will cherish."

A spokesman for FME said they would issue a statement next week.