PROPOSALS to build 120 dwellings on one of the North-East’s largest building sites have been passed after claims the plan would boost the area.

Durham County Council and construction firm K Hartwell lodged the scheme as the latest part of the 60 acre DurhamGate development.

The DurhamGate project is transforming land near Spennymoor to include new homes and businesses.

The latest strand sought to develop a 4.7 acre strip of land near the former K Hartwell factory site within the Green Lane Industrial Estate.

It currently holds a former factory and undeveloped grassland. Ten affordable homes will be built as part of the project.

The council’s area planning committee (south and west) agreed to approve outline planning permission for the homes.

Paul Grylls, finance director of DurhamGate, said: “This development can be seen as an enhancement of the DurhamGate scheme.

“The other housing on the site has been successful and we hope to see this repeated with this plan.

“We’re very proud of what we have already achieved at DurhamGate which will help to shape the future of Spennymoor.”

The scheme seeks to build two, three and four bedroomed homes on the land, which is bordered by Butchers Race.

Several objections, such as retaining the site for industrial use and concerns about construction traffic, had been submitted.

The applicants addressed the issues and said that measures were in place to, among other things, keep residents and construction traffic apart.

Councillor Neil Foster, who covers the Tudhoe ward, said: “I’m in favour of this project going forward and I think this enhances the DurhamGate site.

“I had a number of concerns myself but they have been answered. I think that all of the concerns that were raised by the objectors were answered too.

“There’s lots of industrial land available still, including to the north of the site, and I think that the availability of this land will more than make up for the loss of industrial land in this plan.

“I think that this project will benefit the other areas of Spennymoor with increased spending and that is great.”