Marske resident development objections swamp council

Marske is back in the crosshair of developers after landowners, the West Midland Pension Fund, applied to revise a planning proposal for 812 houses plus petrol station, fast food chain and hotel.

Coded as R/2020/0025/RMM, it comes at the same time as house builders Taylor Wimpey are drafting a proposal for a further 100 houses to Marske’s West.

The South of Marske application is the latest attempt to build on the field behind Marske station, following failed attempts going back to 1980. In 2014, a mass protest organised by then councillor Tristan Learoyd, attempted to bring down Redcar and Cleveland’s Local Development Plan, which included the site. The vote was lost by on a mayoral decision. Later the South of Marske plan, which was then for 1000 houses, was rejected by Redcar and Cleveland’s planning committee. In 2015, Learoyd was part of a coalition that briefly took control of the council and Learoyd working with Cllr Steve Kay took South of Marske out of the local plan as a development site.

However, in April 2015, Learoyd wrote to Coastal View and warned that incoming councillors “must never let down their guard”. He then stood down to spend more time with his family in 2015, and the independents and Lib Dems eventually lost control of the council. Meanwhile, the pension fund went to appeal and the Minister overturned the council’s rejection. Shortly after the incoming opposing administration put South of Marske housing figures back into the hotly-disputed Local Development Plan.