CAMPAIGNERS have branded a council’s plan to create a garden village on the outskirts of Darlington as part of a draft local plan as "reprehensible".

Members of the Whinfield Residents Association (WRA) have launched a scathing attack on the plans to build more than 4,000 homes at Skerningham, to the north of the town.

Darlington Borough Council is carrying out consultation on the ambitious plans for housing, business premises, shops and leisure facilities, close to a proposed link road between two of the region’s busiest routes.

However, residents in the area are determined to block the plans and protect open green spaces and woodland in the area.

WRA secretary Alan Hutchinson said: “Unnecessarily extending the town into what is currently lovely countryside will destroy the character of the area forever.

"It will largely take away the essential facility for residents to enjoy informal healthy recreation right on their doorstep and replace it with buildings and tarmac.

“No-one wants to walk, cycle or ride along housing estate roads, when we already have delightful routes through the fields and woods which are used by a great number of people.”

They have hit out at the proposal in the draft local plan to re-locate Darlington Golf Course into the woodlands of Skerningham Countryside Park so that the original course can be built on.

Mr Hutchinson added: “For the council to allocate land in the only publicly accessible community woodland in the area for the benefit of a private golf club and a profit-driven developer is reprehensible.

“We deplore the fact that Darlington Borough Council chose to work closely with landowners and developers in formulating their plan, without any involvement of the people who will be most affected by it, the residents.”

A council spokeswoman said the authority is still consulting on the proposed scheme.

“The consultation for the Draft Darlington Local Plan is still ongoing and is open for everyone to have their say,” she said.

“The council engaged respected and experienced consultants to carry out an objective assessment of housing need, which is available on the local plan website and is open to anyone to challenge as part of the consultation process.

“Senior members of the planning policy team, along with Councillor Chris McEwan, have met with a group of Skerningham residents and members of Whinfield Residents Association on separate occasions to discuss the housing numbers and the wider local plan.”

There are two final drop-in consultations sessions before the August 2 closure date, both at the Dolphin Centre: Saturday, July 28, 11am-3pm and Monday, July July, 3pm-7pm.