THE widening and resurfacing of an access road near a cricket club has been approved, despite the work having already taken place.

A retrospective application was lodged with Wear Valley District Council by developers Charles Church, who have built new homes alongside the road.

The stretch leads from Manor Road to Willington Cricket Club, but cars regularly park there.

Willington Central ward councillor Joe Buckham said local residents had expressed concern about the amount of parking there.

The cricket club have become increasingly successful in recent years, and Coun Buckham said: "The problem with parking on the cricket club is that as the standard of cricket improves, so do the number of sixes and cars are at risk."

He proposed that the retrospective application was approved subject to three conditions, which councillors agreed before passing the application.

* Signage stating that parking is not allowed is provided by the applicant * Two speed bumps are installed * A small ramp is built to link the access road with an adjoining footpath Fellow Willington Central councillor David Kingston seconded the proposal, and said that the land used to be a public footpath.

He said: "It has crept into use as a roadway - the cricket club used to be only pedestrian access. We seem to have a road that has been built by default."