VILLAGERS cheered as plans to build 55 homes on land used as allotments for more than 100 years were rejected by councillors yesterday.

Wear Valley District Council's development control committee turned down Wimpey's application to build on 1.7 hectares of land off Station Road, in Howden- le-Wear.

Planning officers had recommended that the scheme be refused as the proposed site was on greenfield land and the village is not recognised as an urban area in need of new homes.

The land has 41 allotment sites, although only about half of them are occupied and the area attracts fly-tippers.

Councillor John Bailey, the council's Howden-le-Wear representative, spoke in favour of the development.

He said local amenities were closing and warned: "If we do not grow, I can tell you now that this village will stagnate and die."

He said 30 people had telephoned him and 45 people had stopped him in the street to say that the homes should be built.

Wimpey had pledged to create a new £350,000 allotment site for the gardeners and provide £51,300 for the provision of a play area in the village.

Councillor Tommy Taylor said: "It must be a very rich village that can afford to dismiss that."

Referring to the allotments site, he said: "I come past that place every day. Absolute dump."

But Councillor David Kingston moved refusal and said: "The stark facts are that this goes against our own planning policies."

He was seconded by Councillor Geoff Mowbray, who said: "I think the allotments are being used as a red herring - I just think the people don't want this development to go ahead."

The council had received 337 letters of objection and a petition with 491 signatures.

Councillor Vera Shuttleworth, who spoke despite not being a member of the committee, said: "If we have got 337 people who bothered to put pen to paper, then that in itself is a pretty strong basis for refusal."

The decision to refuse planning permission was loudly applauded by about 30 members of the public who had turned out for the meeting.

Speaking after the meeting, David Quinn, allotments secretary for more than 20 years, said: "A lot of people who came here do not own an allotment and don't particularly care about them.

They just realise that there is no need for new houses in Howdenle- Wear.

"None of us are interested in the investment that Councillor Bailey was talking about. It's not about money."