Fears of flooding if homes go ahead

The application by Camtec Properties proposes building a mix of apartments and houses - including 30 affordable homes - on land adjoining Woodham Bridge, in Newton Aycliffe.

As well as diverting Woodham Burn, the development would have needed significant flood protection works.

Access to the site would have been via the A167 with an additional road link provided from Cheltenham Way for emergency vehicles.

The area is classified for outdoor recreational use and is prone to seasonal flooding.

People living in the area raised concerns that the scheme could displace flooding and that a proposed access road could worsen the A167, which they say is already a dangerous stretch of road.

Further road safety issues were raised about the emergency vehicle access route, which residents said would become a "rat run" to the A167.

These concerns were echoed by Great Aycliffe Town Council, which branded the scheme totally unacceptable and warned of the possibility of establishing a precedent.

Sedgefield Borough Council received a petition signed by 218 residents and 76 letters of objection.

A further objection was raised by the Durham Wildlife Trust on the basis that there was insufficient protected species survey information available to proceed.

Environment Agency officers said the flood risk assessment did not adequately address the risks to the development or the risk that the development would cause or exacerbate flooding elsewhere.

Planning officers recommended that permission is refused, saying: "The proposal would involve residential development within a 'green wedge' where built development is resisted in order to maintain the distinction between the countryside and built up areas.

"As a result the proposed development would be harmful to the landscape setting of Woodham Village."

Sedgefield Borough Council's development control committee will discuss the application when it meets on Friday.