ONE hundred residents have objected to plans for a block of four apartments on open land outside their homes.

People living in the Lennox Crescent area of Billingham claimed they would lose privacy and light if the proposals for the two-storey building went ahead.

But they said central to their objections were traffic and congestion worries, as well as fears for the safety of residents and pedestrians.

They said the road network was too narrow to cope with additional traffic and said emergency vehicles had to mount the pavement to turn around.

Resident Jacqueline Brough, of Lennox Crescent, spoke at Wednesday's meeting of the planning committee of Stockton Borough Council.

She said: "The layout of Lennox Crescent and the layout of the road system does not support this building.

"It would not fit in with existing houses and it would not enhance the street scene. This proposal takes up every inch of land and will take away the communal land."

The applicant, named only as Mr J Wallis, has applied for permission to build four, two-bedroomed private flats, with parking spaces, which will sell for about £70,000 each.

His agent said: "We want to replace the building with only what suits the area. The four flats will blend with the area."

The application was deferred for councillors to visit the site