A HOUSING company will be holding a series of drop-in sessions for people wanted to find out more about a new residential development.

Durham-based Banks Property is preparing proposals for a new scheme comprising up to 200 new homes on a 7.4 hectare site on Pelton Lane, Pelton, near Chester-le-Street.

The sessions will be held at Pelton Community Centre, from 11am to 6pm on Thursday, from 11am to 4pm on Friday and from 9am to noon on Friday 2 December.

Further sessions will be held in the Community Rooms at Pelton Roseberry Primary School, from 3pm to 6pm on Monday December 5, and from 3pm to 7pm on Monday January 9.

As well as giving local people to chance to provide feedback on the proposals and ask questions, the project team will also be looking for residents’ ideas on how the development could support local priorities for community improvement.

Further consultation meetings are taking place with the parish council and other community representatives, while leaflets have been delivered to each household in the area.

Lewis Stokes, community relations manager at The Banks Group said: “We’re in the very early stages with the project, but we we’re pleased with the positive local discussions that we’ve had so far around our Pelton Lane proposals.

“We’re keen to keep everyone up to date with what we’re doing, but more importantly, we want to provide further opportunities for local people to tell us what they think about our ideas and how they think the development could provide various benefits to enhance area.”

A planning application for the development is expected to be submitted to Durham County Council within the next couple of months.