COUNCILLORS have agreed to a planning issue involving nearly 50 three-storey houses at a Skelton development being scrutinised in a bid to allay public concern.

Members of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's planning committee agreed unanimously to requests for an inquiry after the matter was raised by Coun Brian Briggs, a member of the committee who represents the village, at a meeting on Thursday of last week.

Coun Briggs was supported by fellow ward councillor Dave McLuckie, who told the planning committee's scrutiny, training and environmental working parties meeting that residents' perception was that approval had been almost a fait accompli.

It was reported at the meeting that angry residents had complained to the local government ombudsman, but Couns Briggs and McLuckie felt it was important that the council carried out its own investigation.

The complaints stemmed from claims that Neil Davies, a representative of developer George Wimpey, had given assurances that the three-storey element of phase two of the Church Hill scheme would be reduced to two storeys, to appease residents, at a site visit on November 9.

But at a subsequent planning committee meeting on December 2, members approved a slightly revised proposal for 47 three-storey dwellings and seven two-storey homes.

Mr Davies was not at the meeting, and two different Wimpey representatives denied such a promise had been given.

Coun Briggs said: "This is in no way political - I just feel as though the objectors have been let down by a number of people."

Doreen Mealing, the council's development control manager, said Wimpey had said it would go away and reconsider, but the planning department could not instruct it to do so.

"The changes they made were all they were prepared to do.

"If members had been unhappy they could have refused the application, but there would have had to be sound reasons for doing it.

"The advice we gave was the changes were sufficient and we could not find sound reasons to recommend refusal."

Coun McLuckie said he had been on the site visit, and said Mr Davies had stated quite clearly, in front of residents, that the three-storey houses would be reduced to two storeys.

Mrs Mealing replied: "But at the meeting on December 2, it was quite clear that the developer was not making these amendments, and members could have refused permission."

The planning committee chairman, Coun Peter Spencer, added: "The developer would have appealed against it and, if that had happened, we would probably not have got the changes that we did get."

Coun McLuckie said: "The public's perception is these three-storey buildings are there because the planners wanted them there.

"The people of Skelton are saying to us it is their belief that somewhere down the line there has been a pre-agreement with the officers, They are saying they think there has been some jiggery-pokery."

He added: "I believe everyone will come out of an inquiry totally vindicated, but I think the public need to see that to be done and that everything is transparent and that the committee is able to scrutinise itself."

A motion to pass the matter on to the council's main scrutiny committee to consider an investigation was passed unanimously.