LOCALS have criticised a £1.4m plan to build 12 affordable homes in a village as they fear it will lead to criminals moving in.

Broadacres Housing Association wants to develop a site at Newton-on-Ouse, near Easingwold, near Thirsk.

But the plan for six two bedroomed and six three bedroomed homes on land near Moor Lane was criticised.

Hambleton District Council planners were sent 17 local objections to the scheme.

Amongst them were that the homes would spoil the village and that there were other more suitable sites.

One complainant said the village did not want this type of development and that 95 per cent of those who would live there could work and would not and they were trouble.

Another said affordable housing brought a different class of person and that most council estates were full of crime and it was not wanted on this site.

Newton-on-Ouse Parish Council also has reservations although it supports some of the scheme.

A parish council spokesman said: "We would have preferred that the decision had been deferred.

"The parish council was not in possession of the full facts when it made its original decision to object and would have welcomed an opportunity to review the situation due to recent changes.

"There are aspects of the scheme where we would still like to change, such as measures to slow traffic as it passes the entrance to the development."

A Broadacres survey regarding the need for affordable housing in the village found local elderly and singles who would use it.

Andrew Garrens, Broadacres senior development manager, said: "We will work with the parish council and the community to provide affordable housing for the village.

"The homes will go to people in the parish first and if any are left over they will go people in the next parish."

The district council’s development management committee passed the plan this week.