OBJECTORS to a controversial £25m business and housing scheme destined for Stockton Riverside say they are appalled by the way the matter has been handled.

The large business park, new 120-home estate and 15-hectare nature conservation area, was given the green light by Government Office North- East during a radio broadcast on Christmas Day.

Opponents to the green wedge land scheme, which included a 4,000-signature petition, 99 individual letters of objection and 3,876 standard letters of objection, claim the announcement was deliberately timed to dampen the inevitable public outcry.

They also claim the scheme was given the thumbs-up because of the mess left behind by the land's previous owners, the Teesside Development Corporation.

Campaigners claim the unauthorised removal of thousands of tonnes of topsoil by the TDC in the Eighties to landscape the Tees Barrage project had left the area looking more like a brownfield site.

Jan Arger, chairman of the Council for the Protection of Rural England's Stockton branch, told the D&S Times she was stunned the matter had been passed back to Stockton Council to rubber stamp.

"We expected a public inquiry," she said. "Clearly the authorities would rather that didn't happen.

"To have all the thousands of objections dismissed in a couple of sentences is just ludicrous.

"The way this has been handled is appalling and the way Government Office North-East has managed its part in the process is equally appalling.

"The amount of objection created by this green wedge application should have meant an automatic determination by the Secretary of State.

"Green wedge policy obviously means nothing and is completely open to interpretation."

A letter from GONE to Stockton Council's director of environment and technical services explained applications were only called in if planning issues involve more than local importance.

It goes on to say: "The Secretary of State has concluded that intervention would not be justified as there is not sufficient conflict with national planning policies or any other sufficient reason to warrant calling in the applications for his own determination.'

Stockton planning officer Carol Straughan added: "Green wedge land is a an informal local authority term to describe a piece of land that separates developments and as such is not ruled by national Government guidelines.

"However, there still must be a very good reason why development should be allowed on it.

"This package was too good to miss. At the moment the land is an eyesore and this will enhance existing wildlife and create jobs.

"Every step of this application has been above board and the comments made by the CPRE just smack of sour grapes."