RESIDENTS fighting plans for nearly 1,000 homes in a market town feel the road system must be upgraded as a priority if the scheme is approved.

Developer Castlevale wants Hambleton District Council approval to build 920 homes on Topcliffe Road, Sowerby, near Thirsk, in the Sowerby Gateway scheme.

Angry locals feel the plan is too big and that the current road system to the A168, which would need an estimated £12.5m upgrade, will not be able to cope with extra traffic.

At a public meeting on the plans this week Chris Purser, of Sowerby, said: "The road access to the A168 from the site is crucial.

"We are talking about new sliproads and fly-overs and it’s not going to be easy. It will take almost as long as building the homes themselves.

"This needs doing first as you can’t increase traffic levels through Thirsk and Sowerby."

Councillor David Murkett, of Sowerby Parish Council, said: "A very important point about this is where is the traffic going to go.

"I hope the district council will see that the infrastructure of the A168 is improved at the earliest point."

The project would see the homes built between 2011-26 and would include a primary school, health centre and 5,000sq m of light industrial units over 72 hectares.

The plan comes as the Planning Inspectorate says Thirsk is a priority area to be developed with up to 1,000 homes permitted.

This will go into the council’s Local Development Framework which will be discussed by members in December.

Several other topics were raised at the meeting like would the people buying the homes be local and where would they work.

The council said it would take advice from North Yorkshire County Council about when the road improvements should take place.

Martin Foster, Castlevale managing director, said: "We’re looking at the road network and we’ve had a lot of talks with the local authorities.

"We’ve commissioned a report and when the relevant authorities have agreed a date to start it we will to look to begin before that date.

"If we weren’t providing the items like a school and doctors we could start earlier in the scheme."

The proposals can be seen at hambleton.gov.uk and sowerbygateway.co.uk.