A CONTROVERSIAL plan to build nearly 3,000 houses in the local area has been axed by the newly-elected Conservative administration at Northumberland County Council.

Council leader Coun. Peter Jackson said the Local Plan Core Strategy, which included plans for more than 24,000 houses in Northumberland as a whole by 2031, was not an accurate representation of the county’s housing needs.

The document will now be reviewed over the coming months, before being resubmitted to the Government.

After his proposal to draw up a new plan was agreed at a full county council meeting, at County Hall in Morpeth on Wednesday, Coun. Jackson said: “This is a brave decision, but nobody wants to live in a town or village that is going to double in size.

“Residents have been unhappy with the core strategy proposed by this council in recent months.

“This is what they want.

“It has to be done right, and it has to have the acceptance of the whole county.”

Coun. Jackson described the document, which had recommended 2,000 new homes at Dissington Garden Village, and 900 properties in Hexham, including 600 on green belt land, as not fit for purpose.

He said that the housing needs in the urban south-east of the county, far outweighed those of rural areas, such as Tynedale.

The Conservative motion was passed following a vote, with 39 councillors in favour and 22 against.

Opposition councillors warned that withdrawing and reviewing the plan could take two years, and said the absence of a housing policy would leave the county exposed to opportunistic developers.

Liberal Democrat leader Coun. Jeff Reid said: “There are ways out of this without exposing this council.

“You are going to leave it naked of the only pillar of protection it has from developers.”

A proposed amendment by Labour leader Coun. Grant Davey, to seek Government advice on the core strategy without withdrawing it, was rejected.

Coun. Cath Homer, who represents Hexham East, welcomed the decision.

She said: “The residents of Hexham had serious concerns about building on the green belt, as well as the town’s infrastructure and ability to cope with extra houses.

“Now the people of Hexham will believe they have been listened to.”

Coun. Derek Kennedy, who represents Hexham West, added: “We do not want a big splurge of big executive houses at the west end of Hexham, which would only create more commuters to Newcastle.”