A PUBLIC inquiry into controversial plans for homes on factory land is due to conclude today.

The inquiry had been called after Barratt Homes appealed against Wear Valley District Council's decision to turn the former Catkin Way industrial site, in Bishop Auckland, into a housing development.

It was initially due to be held in February, but was adjourned when last minute documents were submitted by the council. It finally started on Tuesday.

But after hours of representations from both sides, the future of the site - part of Greenfields Industrial Estate - is still unclear.

Barratt sought outline planning permission a year ago for an unspecified number of houses on the land. But the proposal was refused because the site is allocated for industrial use in the council's local plan.

The area has been owned since 2003 by furniture company Keen Replicas, which hopes to sell and move to a smaller building.

Chris Duffill, of regeneration group Shared Intelligence, said there was a shortage of suitable business space in Wear Valley.

Wear Valley District Council planning officer Carole Dillon said the council was keen to maintain employment space in the area.

Martyn Lytollis, managing director of storeys-ssps chartered surveyors, speaking on behalf of Barratt, said that the take-up rate for industrial units in the district was low compared to neighbouring areas such as Sedgefield.

Solicitor Richard Sagar, representing Barratt, said that affordable housing is an "acute and desperate issue in this district."

He added: "The inspector ought to put a lot of weight on this if this is a project that delivers it."

Inspector Alan Robinson adjourned the hearing at 5pm, when it became clear there were still several hours of information to be heard.

Referring to the currently vacant Catkin Way site, he joked: "In hindsight, we'd have probably been better off holding the inquiry in the appeal building - we'd have plenty of hours of unobstructed use there."

The inquiry will resume at Crook Civic Centre, at 9.15am, today.