Whilst this may not sound like the most objectionable planning application you've ever heard of, the committee agreed it would have ruined a large tract of unspoilt rural and agriculture land comprising part of the Tees Heritage Park.
A number of other concerns were voiced by committee members - far too many in fact to list here - but chief amongst these was regarding the proposed footbridge over the Tees (which was to be sited just metres away from homes on Minerva Mews, and would have resulted in an unacceptable invasion of privacy for residents there).
What is arguably of more significance from Yarm residents' point of view is the impact today's decision will have on the application to build 735 homes on Green Lane, which is (at least for the moment) due to be heard by the planning committee on 5th February 2013.
Today's application was merely an enabling development to afford Yarm School scope to sell the site of its current playing fields at Green Lane (pictured above) to Bellway Homes, the latest profiteers hoping to bank a greenfield site with planning permission in Yarm, to cash in on whenever the housing market improves.
Whether the Green Lane application will now be heard by the committee next week remains to be seen, but don't be surprised if the application is withdrawn between now and then.
Although today's decision is undoubtedly good news for the overwhelming majority of residents across the whole borough, I can't help but feel a twinge of sadness.
Whilst it is always disappointing to see landowners and housebuilders looking to profit from Yarm, and Stockton Borough Council's idiotic belief that the borough needs thousands more homes (more on that another time), it can hardly be considered a surprise.
However, when a private school looks to ruin a swathe of a heritage park in order to facilitate the building of hundres of new homes, in the face of overwhelming public opinion, I do feel a pang of sadness and, perhaps naively, surprise.
Anybody living in Yarm will be familiar with the problems Yarm School brings, particularly if you have ever had to try and drive down The Spital whilst parents are parked inconsiderately, dangerously, and as near to the school gates as they can get. Or if you have tried to park anywhere on West Street just to find every space occupied by a sixth-former's car.
It is easy to understand some of the anger that a large number of residents from Yarm and Eaglesliffe have directed at the school as a result of this planning application, branding the application as "selfish and unnecessary". Whilst you would expect any school to try do the best it can for its pupils, staff and the school itself, when those aspirations repeatedly clash with those of the local community it's perhaps time the school had a good, long look at itself.
[Final paragraph amended 21/01/2013]
