RESIDENTS opposed to plans for a second petrol station in Norton have said it is the "wrong development in the wrong place".

A planning application has been submitted to Ryedale District Council by BP for the construction of a filling station on land between Welham Road and Springfield Garth, with three fuel pumps, a forecourt shop and 40 parking spaces.

The application, which has so far received 28 objections and three letters of support, is expected to create about 20 jobs.

However, residents say the development lies on the edge of a conservation area and will have a detrimental impact on the town. They have also raised concerns about highway safety, noise levels, air quality, flood risk and contamination.

Jane Colthup, on behalf of the residents opposed to the planning application, said: "Creating a 'development site' with a proposed access road off Springfield Garth is a tactical approach and sets the site up for future development and implicates an intention to develop further.

"The creation of a new site access on an already overburdened public highway will mean an increase in traffic congestion. The knock on effect is that traffic could potentially back-up towards the level crossing where unsuccessful measures have recently been put in place specifically to ease the free flow of traffic."

Ms Colthup said there was also concern about the noise levels and disturbance from the development. "An increase in noise levels on neighbouring residents during evening hours is likely to have an overbearing impact on the quality of life of local residents," she added.

"There are other developments which would have far less impact that could be better quality and controlled in relation to neighbour impact, activity levels, heavy goods vehicles, free flow of traffic, hours of operation, etc."

Di Keal, town and district councillor for Norton West, said: "Residents in St Nicholas Street are already suffering the effects of the changed road priorities in Norton as the road has become a rat-run for vehicles avoiding Church Street, leading to more congestion and air borne pollution - this proposed petrol station can only make an already bad situation even worse.

"The site is totally inappropriate for this development on so many levels. It is only a few hundred yards from an existing petrol station, in a predominately residential area and smack in the middle of a flood plain. It is simply the wrong development in the wrong place."

The application letter from agents Rapleys said: “The new proposed petrol filling station will not only enhance petrol station provision within the local area to meet the modern needs and expectations of motorists, but shall also contribute to the local economy and employment.

“The proposed development has taken consideration of design, highways and environmental policies to deliver significant visual enhancements to a vacant site, while continuing to preserve local amenity and highway arrangements.”