PLANS for a new 30-home estate in north Durham village have been given the green light – despite traffic concerns.

Durham County Council’s area planning committee discussed housing plans for Pelton Fell, near Chester-le-Street, from applicant Karbon Homes.

This included a mix of two, three and four-bed homes on a green field site south of the former Whitehill Farm.

Under the proposals, some homes will be offered as “rent to buy” – with families having the chance to buy their homes after a set period.

During consultation however, the plans attracted opposition from neighbours with more than 30 objections lodged.

Concerns included privacy, loss of open space and potential spikes in traffic passing through the village.

Objector Scott McGregor, of Pelton Fell, claimed the new homes would lead to a 200 per cent increase in traffic.

Speaking at Durham County Hall, he told councillors that extra vehicles from the estate would “exceed road capacity” and pleaded for the council to “act in the interests and safety of residents.”

However, highways officers said there were already traffic calming measures the area, including bends which encouraged drivers to slow down.

Officers added that traffic issues linked to the plans were “negligible” – with modelling at peak hours equating to “one vehicle every three to four minutes.”

Although planning officers recommended the plans for approval, several councillors claimed the development conflicted with historic planning policies.

In a lengthy debate, members raised concerns about “over development” in the countryside, housing being built on settlement boundaries and conflicts with the council’s emerging County Plan.

These concerns were echoed by the Campaign to Protect Rural England who lodged a formal objection to the homes plan.

Councillors also raised fears about building an estate near a nature reserve and questioned the “affordability” of homes.

In their recommendations, planners maintained that the benefits of the scheme outweighed any adverse impacts.

Although councillors Cllr Tanya Tucker and Cllr Alan Shield proposed a motion for the plans to be refused, the bid was voted down.

The meeting heard that reasons for refusal were unlikely to withstand an appeal – which could lead to costly legal fees.

Cllr Craig Martin, who represents the North Lodge division, told the meeting: “I really don’t like what is being proposed here.

“What always comes back to me is the hat we have to wear here in the planning committee – does it stack up against the national planning policies and the policies we are with?

“With the advice we have been given by the solicitor and planning officer, we can give weight to the former Chester-le-Street district council planning policies but we don’t have the power and legal thrust to be able to use them to fight against the National Planning Policy Framework without our County Plan in action.

“What really concerns me is if this goes to appeal, the people who will have to effectively pay the price for the appeal costs will be the people I represent.”

In a final vote, the plans were approved with six votes in favour and four against.

However, following pressure from the committee, a compromise was reached over developer funds which will be paid to the council in a legal agreement.

This includes £47,223 towards open/play space mitigation within the Chester-le-Street West Central division- rather than the wider county.

Applicants originally applied to build more than 70 houses in the area before scaling the plans back to 30.

Following planning approval, the plans will be kept in check by conditions covering flood risk, land contamination and a construction plan to minimise disruption.

Karbon Homes have agreed to provide 15 per cent affordable housing and to pay an extra £9,401 to minimise the development’s impact on local ecology.