A BITTER row has broken out after councillors backed plans for nearly 200 new homes on a site plagued by controversy.

Selby District Council's planning committee has supported plans by Persimmon Homes and Redrow Homes to build 193 houses between Low Street and Moor Lane, in Sherburn-in-Elmet, to the disgust of existing residents.

The application remains subject to approval by John Prescott, but former parish councillor Malcolm Dowson today hit out at the council's stance.

He said: "My opinion of Sherburn at the moment is that we are just getting totally overpopulated."

North Yorkshire County Council said Hungate CP School would be able to cope with the additional numbers, and planning officers argued services in the village could cope with extra demand.

But Mr Dowson said key amenities were already at full stretch, with parking a particular problem.

He added: "You cannot get places in the local dentists or to see the doctor, so where they have got this assessment from is ludicrous. We are stretched to the absolute ultimate in this village."

Sherburn Parish Council also objected due to concerns over flooding and foul drainage problems; the strain on local amenities; the design of buildings being inconsistent with the area's character; the density of the planned housing; the extra traffic; and the village being over-developed in general.

Parish council chairman Bob Packham said: "We have all been fighting hard to restrict the number of houses in Sherburn, including these 193."

He added: "There has been a huge amount of development in Sherburn in the last couple of years and I think we are disappointed they have not taken that into account."

Some 47 local residents also opposed the scheme, but it was recommended for approval by officers.

They said the new homes were needed to meet housing allocations, said the applicants had submitted a satisfactory flood assessment and transport statement, and denied that amenities would suffer.

Their report said: "The proposed development will in fact support the continued presence and viability of shops and services."

In 2003, residents launched a vigorous campaign against proposals to build 1,100 homes on the site.

Updated: 09:53 Monday, January 09, 2006