A COMMUNITY residents’ group is supporting a major housing development.

A planning application for 190 homes at Pelton, near Chester-le-Street, was submitted before Christmas.

Over the last three months, the developer behind the scheme, Banks Property, has been carrying out consultation with local people, community groups and businesses.

Several meetings have been held with Newfield and Pelton Lane Ends Residents’ Association to allow members to ask questions about the proposed scheme.

Group chairman Norman Long has written to Durham County Council, outlining the group’s support.

He said: “Representatives from the Banks Group attended the Newfield and Pelton Lane Ends Residents Association on several occasions to explain their plans for this site to members. They have also held pop-in sessions at Pelton Community Centre and Roseberry Primary School Community Rooms, as well as delivering information leaflets to the area.

“They have made an excellent effort in trying to keep the community informed, and their representatives have been very helpful in answering any questions raised by residents, so we would therefore like to support the application submitted by them for this development.”

More than 60 people attended four drop-in sessions that Banks Property put on in the local area in December and January.

If planning permission is granted the development will take place on an 18-acre site near Pelton Lane. A decision is expected in the next few months.

Banks Group spokesman Lewis Stokes said: “The members have played a very full and proactive part in the discussions that we’ve been undertaking and we’re very pleased that they have felt happy to support the ideas that we’ve outlined.

“Our team has been able to have constructive discussions right across the community about this project, and the ideas that have been gathered have been very useful in helping to identify ways in which it might bring wider benefits to the local area.

“This is a carefully designed scheme that would be located on a site ideally suited to this type of development. We are certain there will be strong demand for the homes that would be built, so we hope Durham County Council’s planning committee will recognise our planning application’s many merits when it eventually comes to review it.”