A CONSTRUCTION firm wants to expand its headquarters and build more homes on a former asbestos factory site.

Esh Group, which has a 1,000-strong workforce including 600 in the North-East, wants to expand its head office at Bowburn, near Durham, creating 50 new jobs and relocating 30 more from Newton Aycliffe.

Bosses also want to build new offices to rent out, a training academy and 63 new homes, on a site straddling Bowburn North Industrial Estate and the adjoining former Cape Asbestos factory site.

The site, which was cleared after the factory closed with the loss of hundreds of jobs in 1990, was declared clean by inspectors in 2010 following a ten-month decontamination costing £1.8 million and many new houses have since been built on the land.

Under the latest scheme, Esh’s HQ, Esh House, would be expanded to include more offices; an Esh Academy would be created with six rooms across two floors; and 63 homes would be built with two, three or four bedrooms and of two or two-and-a-half storeys in height.

Major housebuilder Persimmon has been credited with an interest in building the proposed new homes.

A full planning application has been submitted to Durham County Council and the council’s county planning committee is due to consider it on Tuesday, April 7.

Council planning officers say the proposals “broadly accord” with planning policies and are recommending planning permission be granted.

However, Cassop-cum-Quarrington Parish Council and Bowburn and Parkhill Partnership have both objected.

There are concerns over increased traffic and the loss of land that could be used for employment.

Planning permission to use the site for employment already exists.

Esh says it has marketed the site for this purpose since 2010 but, despite some interest from the NHS, no “solid interest” has emerged.

The firm bought Cumbria-based Border Construction last year and says it needs to grow in Bowburn, its base since 2003.

Business Durham supports its plans, saying jobs could be lost to County Durham if Esh cannot expand at Bowburn.

The firm is committed to a fifth of the new homes being “affordable” and is willing to contribute £82,000 to creating more school places at Bowburn’s primary school, which is approaching capacity.

The council’s county planning committee will debate the application when it meets at County Hall, Durham, on Tuesday, April 7, at 1pm.