RESIDENTS are protesting against a proposal to build on a strip of land behind their homes in Brotton.

Although they have tried to buy it to extend their gardens and preserve privacy, the residents were caught by surprise when a letter from Redcar and Cleveland council told of an outline planning application for residential development on land to the rear of Coach Road and the Saltburn road. They had 21 days to respond.

A map of the plan indicated 15 semi-detached bungalows on what is known as the old pit yard and six detached homes on about two acres of derelict agricultural land.

The Coach Road residents quickly compiled letters of objection and were allowed to present them at this week's meeting of Skelton and Brotton Parish Council.

Coun Mae Smith outlined the history of the controversial strip, particularly the agricultural land which she and her husband farmed for a number of years.

She said they had given up about seven years ago when crops were being badly damaged, particularly by youngsters using the right of way through it and over the kissing-gated crossing of the mineral rail line to get to and from school.

She said planning approval had been given to the other section for building but the applicants had not been able to overcome the problem of safe access on to Coach Road.

Mrs Joan Fowle, who spoke on behalf of the residents, said they had been trying for some time to buy the land and at one stage had even been allowed to fence it off. But with new owners, the fence had had to be removed and the price being sought kept rising.

Included in their ten main reasons for objecting were the access. Foundations for new properties would be close to the steep mineral line embankment which in recent years has had to be reinforced after subsidence on old ironstone mine workings.

A reservoir had also been in-filled and this, they believed, could have been creating the soggy grassland which had become a haven for wildlife.

The council decided to support the objectors and recommended refusal by the borough planning committee on grounds of access.

Mr Kenneth Greening, of Glaisdale, one of the landowners, told the D&S Times that he did not wish to comment and would be talking to his surveyor