AN MP and a council have rallied against plans to create more than 200 homes on land once earmarked for a sprawling retirement village. 

Yarm Town Council agreed to object to Mandale Homes' plans to build 215 homes on a stretch of the Leven Valley this week. 

And Stockton South MP Matt Vickers has also voiced concerns about the vision near Yarm. 

Permission was granted for a retirement complex in 2013 – with scaled down plans promising a doctor’s surgery, cafe, restaurant and bar, bowling green, pool and store. 

But years of funding knock-backs for the £100m scheme have now sparked proposals for Mandale Homes to bring 180 two, three, and four-bedroom detached houses and 35 bungalows to part of the stretch. 

There have been just shy of 100 objection letters sent to Stockton Council over the plans.

Yarm Town Council added its voice to those on Tuesday night after former mayor Cllr Peter Monck aired misgivings. 

He argued it fell outside Stockton Council’s Local Plan housing blueprint and would mean fewer bungalows than originally envisaged. 

Cllr Monck said: “This is completely different to what has already been agreed on that site. 

“The retirement village was approved based on the fact it was unique and was going to benefit the ageing population only. 

“That was in the conditions of that application – by trying to build on that site, it’s totally contrary to the approval of that original plan.” 

Last year, developer Jake Majid said they still intended to build out what was originally planned on a smaller scale on the rest of the land. 

A planning statement added the vision would provide new, high quality homes and deliver a “significant number of bungalows on the site”. 

Mr Vickers is among those objecting to the revised plans.

The Conservative MP argued there was an oversupply of houses in the borough at the moment compared with the Local Plan – with fresh worries about traffic impacts.

He added: “Yarm and Kirklevington residents are sick and tired of highlighting to Stockton Council that the area is already over-saturated with housing development. 

“Yarm High Street, at most times of the day, is heavily congested with traffic causing unnecessary pollution. 

“It gets worse at peak times, with log jams backing up The Spital/Thirsk Road as far as Leven Road.”

The Friends of the Tees Heritage Park has also lodged its own concerns about moves to change part of the proposed retirement village to “family style housing”. 

Its objection letter added: “We accept that the site now has consent for development but we do not accept loss of green wedge and designated areas of the Tees Heritage Park, which we find unacceptable and unjustified.”

But the plan is not without its supporters. 

One correspondent believed the development would “attract further investment in Stockton”. 

He added: “There is a national shortage of homes, and year on year the demands are increasing. 

“The council must recognise the desperate need for such a development which will attract many professionals to the area and provide much needed quality homes.”