PLANS to build 55 houses in a village near Durham City have been given approval despite concerns about the pressure on local primary school places.

Durham County Council’s central and east planning committee approved plans for the new homes on land east of Prospect Place, in Commercial Road East, Coxhoe.

The proposal was similar to one already given outline planning permission by the committee last September.

Stuart Dunn, chairman of Coxhoe Parish Council, told the committee that the village’s primary school was full and had turned away 10 reception pupils last September.

He added: “This application will generate additional children. Our area is really under attack from housing and primary school places.

“Bowburn is also beyond capacity. There are 1,064 houses approved from Bowburn and Coxhoe and if they all come forward we will be short of between 180 and 320 primary school places.”

Durham’s School Organisation Manager advised councillors that developers should provide six additional primary school places, which would require a financial contribution of £70,230.

Details of the scheme, which would cover around a third of the former limeworks site, have not yet been finalised but developers said it would include 10 bungalows and a mix of two, three or four bedroomed homes.

Concerns were also raised about the delivery of affordable housing, which was altered from the previous application.

The main change to the new proposal was that 40 per cent of the homes would be delivered as low cost housing, under a scheme designed to help people who want to buy a home but cannot afford a mortgage, instead of as affordable housing.

The scheme is run by Prince Bishops Homes and means that tenants can rent for four years before being allowed to share any increase in the value of the property, which can then be put towards a mortgage.

Cllr Patrick Conway said: “The concern is that the subsidy is not being recycled and there is not control of the product remaining affordable for future households.

“Are we providing a degree of affordable housing but that they could be sold on and we lose our stock of affordable houses and that in the future this estate would not have any affordable housing?

Cllr Alan Bell added: “I’m not convinced it’s any better the scheme that’s been approved.”

Councillors voted 10-2 in favour of approving the scheme, with Cllrs Amanda Hopgood and Bell voting against.