DETAILS plans have been unveiled for a housing development which objectors say will double the size of their hamlet.

Durham county councillors have already granted outline permission for 26 new homes on land north of Little Thorpe in March in – within sight of Easington across rolling agricultural fields.

A new application for 29 homes on the site have come under fire from neighbouring residents and the Easington Village Parish Council.

They cite fears of poor visibility from the proposed site onto the highway and over-development of the hamlet.

The site of the proposed development was formerly occupied by agricultural and packaging buildings, which have since been demolished.

Easington Village Parish Council chairman Cllr Len Morton said: “We will oppose the plans.

“Little Thorpe is a small hamlet and a straw poll shows almost 100 per cent of people there don’t want any more houses.

“If this goes ahead the settlement will start looking life a housing estate.

“The council already approved plans to build on the old hospital site and up to 900 houses adjacent to that.

“There are bound to be more children with the new developments, and the school’s are going to have problems coping.”

Cllr David Boyes said: “I am concerned at the impact of doubling the size of the village, which has been there for centuries. It could change the complexion of of what is a little hamlet.”

The applicant, George Simpson says the proposal is “very low density” and would comprise a mix of four and five-bedroom “high-quality family homes”.

Clinton Mysleyko, director of the Sunderland-based Fitz Architects, who are acting as agents, said: “Our client is proposing detached executive housing that are quite agricultural looking fitting in with context of the area.

“We are building new homes on a brownfield site, which is exactly what the government is looking for.”

He added: “Based on the numbers of homes there now it is a reasonable increase.

“But just to the edge of Little Thorpe there is approval for 900 houses and on the site of the old hospital there is outline permission for 50 houses.

“So in the overall context and looking at it holistically these extra 29 homes will have a minimun impact, against the other dwellings that are proposed.

“Our client has looked at doing something sensitive that will fit in with the style of the area.”