PLANS to build 100 homes on the edge of Hurworth could benefit the schools in the village, it was claimed tonight.

The chair of Hurworth Parish Council Margaret Williams said there were advantages and disadvantages to the planned development and urged residents to find out more.

A campaign group against the homes, Hurworth Against Detrimental Development (HADD), has organised a human chain protest on the day for Sunday, October 2 – the day the parish council holds a drop-in session for residents to find out more.

They claim the plan, by Banks Group, would ruin the character of the village, lead to increased congestion on the roads, and pose a flooding risk.

But those supporting the scheme say the benefits include traffic calming on busy Roundhill Road, a second playground within the new development, and financial help for community facilities and green areas.

Ms Williams said: “This is a well-planned development. The farmer wants to sell the field, and if he doesn’t sell it to them, then who else is he going to sell it to? They might get something worse than this development on the land. We need to look at the potential alternatives.”

She said schools, and the doctor’s surgery, said they were not concerned about the increase in local residents – and the schools had said they would welcome more local pupils.

But she added: “The disadvantages of the development are that it is against the present Parish plan, additional traffic problems on a hazardous road, an increased flooding risk and disruption during the development build.”

Ms Williams said the parish council had not yet decided whether to officially object to the scheme yet, but would be having discussions in coming weeks.

It organised the drop-in session, between 2-4pm at Hurworth Grange on October 2, for residents to find out more about the plans and make up their minds about whether to object to the scheme or support it.

Ms Williams said: “The drop-in session is an excellent suggestion, which will allow residents to discuss the proposed project and better understand the alternatives which the village will face and the benefits which Banks are offering.

HADD held a public meeting earlier this week in which members said they wanted to encourage as many people as possible to object to the new homes. Its protest is at 10.30 on October 2.