NORTON Town Council has rejected plans to build more than 90 homes on the edge of the town.

Gladman Developments has submitted an application for land next to Auburn Cottages and north of Sutton Grange, in Langton Road.

The properties would be a mix of one to five-bedroom houses, 35 per cent of which would be affordable homes, on the 4.5-hectare site.

Members of the council, who voted unanimously against the application, raised concerns over the location of the development, congestion and impact on the sewage system. They also felt it would have a detrimental effect on the local horse racing industry.

Councillor Di Keal said: “Consider-ing the existing congestion in Langton Road and the proximity of the proposed development to Norton College, adding in the traffic that is bound to be generated by another 93 properties on these sites will cause traffic chaos, especially at peak times of the day.

There is also a real danger that in an attempt to avoid the build-up of traffic in Langton Road, drivers will look for alternative routes and use Bazley’s Lane instead, which is an important green lane for walkers and stables exercising horses and must not become a ‘rat run’.”

Councillor Jonathan Gray said: “With the traffic projections, Gladman states there will be 78 additional vehicle trips in the morning peak and 70 in the afternoon peak, which is significant,” he said.

“All the report provides us with are the traffic projections for only two hours in the day. To allow us to fully assess the impact of the development, Gladman should be telling us how much additional traffic there will be for the whole morning and afternoon.

“In particular, in the afternoon, what additional traffic will there be between 3pm and 4pm as Langton Road is busy already at this time with both Norton College and Norton Primary School leaving and parents picking up children, and there are the school buses as well.

“It is close to the heart of Norton’s horse racing community and I am concerned by the impact it and the resulting traffic will have on that.”

A group, Norton Against Gladmans, has been set up by people living near the site, with a petition calling for the plan to be rejected. Jeremy Powell, from the group, said: “The focus is to increase the support and obtain our own evidence to challenge the plan.

“There is disquiet in the area over what seems to be exploratory work on the site and that also seems to extend the boundary of the proposed site. There is resentment at the way that housing seems to be placed easily on greenfield sites, with the suggestion of a small area for nature makes little compensation.”

To view the plan, go to your-views.co.uk/norton

For more information about the campaign, email jeremy@flpyork.com