COMPULSORY purchase orders could be used to force businesses to leave an industrial estate as part of a £30m scheme to build 390 homes.

Durham County Council’s regeneration and economic development service has had its plans approved for the homes at the North-East Industrial Estate at Peterlee.

The proposals look to clear empty and outdated factory buildings and current businesses are being given help to re-locate.

To ensure the site is cleared, the authority’s cabinet has voted to allow the council to use compulsory purchase orders (CPO) to move businesses.

Ian Thompson, corporate director of regeneration and economic development, said: “We’re looking to use CPOs to help with the work.

“We’re trying to work with people on site to ensure that we can move them into premises which are suitable for their business as we look to develop the site.”

Councillor Eddie Tomlinson, of Crook, said: “It’s a shame that we have had to go along the CPO route to move this forward.”

Many of the estate’s larger employers have already re-located, although Kookaburra Foods and Walkers Snack Foods are staying on the site.

The plans will provide nearly 20 acres of new housing with a mix of two, three and four-bedroomed homes with landscaping.

It is expected the scheme will provide more than 100 jobs in construction and supply chain.