PLANS to demolish sheltered accommodation in a County Durham village to make way for affordable homes have been given the green light.

Developer Karbon Homes has won approval from council planning bosses to build a new estate on the site of Graham Court in Sacriston.

Plans include 25 new homes aimed at new buyers, ’empty nesters’ and older people with a mix of private and visitor parking on site. The housing firm also plans to provide 100 per cent affordable housing.

Despite winning approval from Durham County Council’s area Planning Committee, some councillors raised concerns about the Karbon Homes scheme around parking.

At the meeting, councillors criticised the council’s ‘parking standard’ – which sets the level of spaces per home at one parking space per 2-3 bedroom dwelling – and called for it to be reviewed in future.

Coun David Boyes also called for assurances about the small number of remaining residents in the sheltered housing and where they would be relocated – but was told this was not a planning issue.

Council planning officer, Steve France, recommending the plans for approval, said that Sacriston had become something of a “development hotspot” in recent years. 

He added the site was in a sustainable area with no objections from council departments to the plans, including the highways team.

Sacriston division councillor, Coun Simon Wilson, supported the plans on the condition that extra checks were put in place to minimise disruption during construction.

The planning approval is subject to a legal agreement which will see Karbon Homes pay £37,015 to the council towards open/ play space.

Development manager at  Karbon Homes, Lea Smith, welcomed the planning decision.

He said: “Karbon Homes is excited to be developing 25 two and three bedroom homes in Sacriston for local families looking to get on the housing ladder. 

“They will be available for rent to buy, allowing residents to pay 80% of market rent while they save the remainder towards a deposit to buy the house.

“The family homes will be built on the site of our former sheltered housing scheme, Graham Court, and are part of our £8.5 million investment in new homes in Sacriston, including 19 bungalows for affordable rent in nearby Uphill Drive.”