A COUNCIL which has recently granted or is considering applications to build 1,476 homes has sought to ease concerns about the profusion of developments.

A full meeting of Darlington Borough Council heard the authority needed to build just under 500 houses a year to meet its target of 10,000 new homes within 20 years.

Councillor Marie-Anne Curry sought reassurances that the council would not “continually exceed the limit of 500 houses a year without putting a stop on some of the building” and that better infrastructure, such road improvements, would be introduced.

Economy and regeneration boss Councillor Chris McEwan replied the council would work to ensure appropriate infrastructure as developments moved forward.

He said the authority could not cap the number of houses being approved annually and that developments would “ebb and flow, subject to the market and build-out rate”.

He said: “We shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that we had 500 completions last year, so the demand is there.”