A GROUP of determined residents is preparing for the next round in a fight to block plans for 33 new homes at Kirkbymoorside.

In August, more than 20 locals went to a Ryedale District Council planning committee meeting to express their opposition to the development proposed by Tay Homes in Westfields.

They won the day but Tay Homes appealed and now the plans go to a two-day hearing at Ryedale House next week. Opponents are appealing to residents of Kirkbymoorside to go to that hearing to underscore the strength of opposition to the plans.

The Tay Homes proposal is for an affordable housing development, incorporating three-bedroom houses and two-bedroom three-storey flats.

As the meeting drew closer, local district councillor Gary Hobbs said there was overwhelming feeling in the town against the plan and he said he was optimistic it would be turned down.

"Any view I have heard expressed has been opposed to aspects of the application," he said.

Coun Hobbs said there was a series of reasons why the application should have been turned down including the inclusion of three-storey dwellings outside the town centre, the lack of variety of housing styles and transport problems.

"Everybody accepts there will be houses on the site, it is a question of getting the best possible development," said Coun Hobbs.

Local campaigner Edna Howard said: "We are desperate for people to come to the meeting. If they want Kirkbymoorside to be ruined, they will stay away. We have so many of these affordable houses here and they are quite horrific."

Mrs Howard said Kirkbymoorside was a quiet retirement town and said she felt if people from other areas were moved in to live in this 'affordable' housing, they would be bored to distraction as there is only a limited bus service, very little entertainment and no jobs.

She criticised the 33-homes scheme, saying: "They have no garage, just parking bays, it's going to be absolute chaos.

"If they had some detached bungalows on the site, everyone would be delighted. There is a desperate need for bungalows."

She said residents opposed to the scheme didn't want Kirkbymoorside ruined.

"The government seems to be determined to put the most unsuitable people in," she said.

Another resident whose house is opposite the proposed siting of the three-storey block of flats is Neville Kirby. He said he didn't know anyone who was happy with the proposal.

He thinks problems on the site will spill over to the existing housing.

"There is inadequate parking space and inadequate play areas and it's bound to affect the local area," said Mr Kirby.

"Kirkbymoorside has had a lot of low-cost development over the last 15 years and very few medium to high-quality houses have been built.

"In a way, this sort of development is classifying Kirkbymoorside as a low-cost location when we feel there is an ample supply of that type of houses and a need for a better class of houses."

He said residents were worried about the extra congestion that would be caused.

He added that the inspector looking at the appeal needs to be aware of the feeling in the town. "I think he needs to get the feeling that there is a body of strong opinion and concern," said Mr Kirby.

Coun Sheila Ridley will be making a statement at the appeal on behalf of Kirkbymoorside Town Council.

She said: "The town council welcomes worthwhile development of the site at Westfields, but it has voted unanimously to object to the plans as it doesn't believe that the proposed development by Tay Homes is appropriate in its present form.

"The council is extremely concerned about the density of the development and how this will affect nearby residents and the town as a whole. It is also concerned about the extra traffic which will be generated and the potential parking problems."

The appeal starts at 10am at Ryedale House on December 5.

Tay Homes were unavailable for comment.

Updated: 10:33 Thursday, November 29, 2001