FURIOUS residents say their local council did not carry out full consultation over plans for an Indian takeaway in Ferryhill.

A sandwich bar in Darlington Road was given change of use permission by Sedgefield Borough Council's development control committee in March.

Planning officers had recommended the scheme be turned down because it was outside the town centre. But after a site visit, councillors decided to allow the application.

People living in surrounding streets say the first they heard of the plan was when they read about the decision in The Northern Echo.

Linda Stephenson, who lives on nearby Dunning Road, said: "This has been handled all wrong."

She said the council had consulted with the minimum number of neighbouring properties, but three of those were shops, which are closed by 6pm each day.

She said a takeaway, which will be open until 11pm, was inappropriate in a largely residential area. There were also fears that the shop would cause problems with parking, and that nearby residents would suffer from cooking odours.

Another resident organised a petition, signed by people living in four streets, and presented it to the council, but the application had already been processed.

Kath Conroy, who lives in Parker Terrace, said: "We are very angry because we don't feel they consulted us at all. It is ridiculous and they have let themselves down."

Local councillor Brian Meek, who is not a member of the development control committee, said he could not believe it when he heard the application had been passed.

Coun Meek said: "I was fully convinced it would be turned down without a debate because of the recommendation, and because of the historical outcome we have had in the past over these applications. I'm totally baffled as to how it got approved."

A spokesman for Sedgefield Borough Council said: "We consulted more widely than we were legally obliged to do, but we accept it has not satisfied all residents.

"However, we are undertaking a review of our publicity code for the future."

He said: "We consult with the town and parish councils in all cases to obtain further local opinion, and in this case the town council raised no objection.