THEY may only be four inches long, but a colony of protected Great Crested Newts is costing a North-East businessman thousands of pounds.

For the endangered amphibians have forced Javid Majid to re-think plans to redevelop a derelict country club after fears that they could be disturbed.

Residents of Kirlevington, near Yarm, spoke up for the newts - Latin name Triturus Cristatus - after they learnt of a scheme to redevelop the dilapidated Kirk Country Club.

Mr Majid, owner of the nearby Tall Trees country club, has now been told by English Nature to revise his plans to convert the boarded up eyesore into a block of 32 plush apartments - because a pool on the site is home to the newt colony.

"It's costing me thousands to redesign the whole scheme for the apartments to save the newts," he said. "But you have to respect the environment.

"What I want to do is build beautiful apartments, they will enhance the village outlook. We are redesigning and the pond will be made a feature."

Keeping his options open Mr Majid has also applied for a provisional public entertainment licence for the old club.

A spokeswoman for planning authority Stockton Borough Council said: "There was an objection by English Nature who have asked for the plan to be revised so it does not affect the Great Crested Newt. We are still awaiting the revised plan."

Jane Boaden, conservation officer with English Nature, said the applicant would be asked to commission survey involving an ecological consultant.

"That person would have a look at the design proposals and how the development would impact on the Great Crested Newts," she added.

The largest of Britain's native newts, individual female Great Crested Newts can lay up to 300 eggs, but a chromosome disorder means less than half the eggs may survive.

The creatures can only be handled by someone who has a Government licence to do so.

They are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act from disturbance of habitat, death and injury.