DOZENS of people are expected to take part in a walk at the weekend in protest over plans to build homes – and possibly a huge new link road – on a much-loved community woodland near Darlington.

There are plans in the pipeline for a 4,500-home "garden village" scheme in the Skerningham area to the north of Darlington, as well as one of the proposed A1-A66 link road routes, route B.

On Saturday, residents will be joined by the town’s MP Jenny Chapman for a ramble along what is claimed to be the last piece of accessible green belt land in the town, in a show of opposition to the plans.

The area features a community woodland, a medieval village site and two woodland burial sites.

The walk, organised by the Barmpton and Skerningham Action Group, is to show the strength of feeling of locals, who say they will fight “tooth and nail” to keep the land preserved.

Group chairman Bev Hutchinson said: “We want to show the Tees Valley Combined Authority, Darlington Borough Council and all those with a financial interest in developing this area, that we are united as a community in our opposition to their plans and proposals.

“Thousands of houses will decimate this area and we want to preserve it for future generations.

“We are not opposed to a link road, but feel that the authorities need to be sensible about where the road goes and be sensitive to the feelings of the community.

“The woodland is home to a massive variety of wildlife. There are rare black poplar trees thriving in the wood, whilst they are endangered in every other part of the country.

“Since the regeneration of the Skerne in 2013 and the introduction of massive fish stocks, we have heron, otters and kingfishers. Deer roam through the woodland.

“There are also two gravesites.

“There is also an amphitheatre which was cut in when the Tees Valley Forest Project planted the woodland in 2007.

“It is also the site of the medieval village of Skerningham - an area which, if plans are adhered to will be decimated by the link road.”

She said residents had been looking after the area themselves, litter picking, cutting back any wilderness and looking after the amphitheatre.

Ms Chapman said she would be joining residents and added: “I don’t think that either of the link routes that have been planned are perfect, but I think the other route, route A, is preferable. However, if that route is chosen we need to deal with the impact on the village there.”