RESIDENTS have handed in a petition protesting at plans to build houses on a green area.

People at Blackfyne, near Consett, have collected 350 signatures so far against the development on the Blue Heaps, three-acres of grassland formed out of ore heaps in the days of the steelworks.

Residents use the Blue Heaps as an amenity area and as a short cut to Consett town centre.

But Derwentside College, which owns the land, plans to sell it for development, following its move from a nearby site to a new campus.

Forty people turned out and staged a re-enactment of the Battle of the Blue Heaps, a riot in 1858 between locals and immigrant Irish workers, before the petition was presented to Derwentside District Council.

The council is due to decide a planning application by Strathmore Holdings for 13 executive homes on Thursday, October 31.

Campaigner Greg Coltman said: "It has been used by the public for so many years that nobody should consider building on it.

"We'll fight these plans as far as we can.

"We were pleased with the turn-out.

"It was more than I expected on a work day.''

The planning application had been due to be considered yesterday by the council's development control committee, but the hearing has been postponed to allow time for the objections to be considered.