A CONTROVERSIAL plan to move Northallerton's auction mart from its town centre site looks set to get the thumbs-down.

Planning officers will next week recommend councillors reject the scheme, which has caused uproar among residents along Thirsk Road.

If that happens it will mark a major triumph for campaigners, who have fought hard to get the plan scrapped.

Residents in the St James estate area were horrified to learn the mart planned to move to a site just 80 yards from some homes.

People were worried about the environmental and traffic impact of the proposals, as well as risk of flooding.

But next Thursday, members of Hambleton District Council development control committee will be asked to call a halt to the plans.

Action group leader Bob Beaver was delighted.

"On behalf of the protest group I welcome this news, signalling that the views of residents have been recognised and taken into account," he said.

Accepting that councillors could yet decide to approve the scheme, he added: "If that happens their views will make most interesting reading."

The council's head of development control, Maurice Cann, told the D&S Times: "We will be recommending refusal."

He said the application did not meet criteria in the Local Plan relating to relocation of the auction mart. The policy was included in the plan four years ago to deal with this specific issue.

The scheme failed to meet criteria on highways, landscaping and residential amenity, he said.

"Those are the key elements and we feel the auction mart has failed to show they can deal with these issues properly," said Mr Cann.

He said the huge outcry had been noted.

"Consideration has been given to the results of public consultation, but at the end of the day we have to assess the application on policy," he said.

"What the company has said reinforces our conclusion that it has failed to meet the terms of the policy."

Mr Cann said he had set out the issues for mart representatives, adding: "I don't think they will be surprised by this decision."

The mart has submitted a lengthy letter aiming to justify the application and this will be put before the councillors.

If the committee accepts the recommendation and turns down the application, it will leave the mart with three main options: to appeal; to enter into talks with the council on looking for alternative sites to move to; or to stay put.

"Nothing is forcing them out of their current site," said Mr Cann.

Campaigners against the relocation said a better site would be along Darlington Road, which already has industrial use.

"In the past we have said the Darlington Road area would be a suitable location for an auction mart," said Mr Cann.

The council will not be replying individually to the hundreds of people who sent letters of objection.

"Although it is our usual practice to write to everyone who has contacted us, it would not be practical or efficient in this case," said Mr Cann. "We have had several hundred letters on this issue.

"But we have appreciated the public consultation. We did not sponsor the application. We have to deal with such schemes in a professional manner and we have done this. The resulting recommendation follows policy.

"People have objected to the scheme on proper planning grounds - such as risk of flooding and amenity - and this has been helpful to us. The public's input has been welcome."

A deputation of campaigners went to the Civic Centre in Northallerton and handed the massive batch of protest letters to Mr Cann.

In recent weeks, the protesters have been criticised for using "scare tactics" about the perceived problems of living near the mart.

People in properties near the current market site close to the Applegarth said fears of smell and noise had been blown out of proportion.

The development control committee meets at 10.30 on Thursday. Mr Cann said the auction mart could withdraw the application at any point up to the meeting starting.