DETAILED plans have been submitted to build a 449-home housing estate on pasture land as part of a local authority’s drive to generate more funds for key services.

Finalised proposals for the joint Darlington Borough Council and Esh Homes venture across 24 hectares of fields near the Northern Echo Arena, between Neasham Road and the A66, include 294 affordable and 155 open market homes.

The blueprint for the estate, which would be built south of the Darlington to Middlesbrough branch rail line, includes green spaces, play facilities and biodiversity corridors.

The scheme also features the creation of large scale, native woodland planting blocks to link to the woodland habitat and Geneva Woods Nature Reserve.

In documents submitted to the council, a spokesman for the development said the homes would be oriented towards green spaces.

He added: “Homes by Esh and Darlington Borough Council are not looking to provide housing just for today but for future generations.

“The housing mix will attract a good range of individuals and families that can live and grow in Darlington.

“The close proximity to local facilities and open space provides a greater sense of well-being.”

The documents state feedback from a letter drop to local residents last month was “positive”, as 60 per cent of respondents were happy to see a new residential development on the site. However, 40 per cent of residents who supported the development raised concerns over flooding, drainage, access to Snipe Lane and capacity at schools.

The developers said to alleviate flooding on site and make the area more attractive as well as providing ecological benefits it has introduced basins to collect surface water run‐off from the proposed development.

They added a transport survey has been carried out to ensure that there is no adverse impact on the local network, as well as proposals to promote sustainable travel on the site, and a new loop bus route would be introduced into the site serving all 449 dwellings and the surrounding areas.

A developers’ spokesman said: “The project team worked closely with a number of Darlington Borough Council departments including education. Placements within the surrounding schools are to be confirmed by this department, but no adverse issues have been raised to regarding additional placements.”