COUNCILLORS will vote next week on plans to build housing on the former site of a village school.

Prince Bishop Homes wants to develop 21 houses on the disused site of Plawsworth Road Infants School, in Sacriston.

Under the proposals, the 1960s-built buildings on council-owned land in the centre of the village would be replaced with three and four bed houses.

The developers, a subsidiary of Derwentside Homes, say the housing would be made up of affordable homes aimed at families trying to get onto the property ladder.

However, four village residents have lodged objections to the proposal, mainly over traffic concerns, which are shared by Sacriston Parish Council.

Residents say the existing roads network would not be able to cope with the extra traffic generated by the new housing and have raised concerns about the safety of the proposed access from the estate onto Plawsworth Road.

However, Durham County Council’s highways engineers have not raised any objections to the scheme and a council report highlights that the site was previously used as a school with vehicle access.

Planning officials have recommended that the application be granted planning permission, subject to a number of conditions including that developers contribute £21,000 towards public space or play facilities in the area.

Members of the council’s Area Planning Committee North will debate the application when they meet at County Hall, in Durham on Thursday (January 28).