A 41-home estate will be built in a County Durham village despite concerns it is becoming overdeveloped with new housing. 

The new one and two-storey homes will be built following the demolition of an existing building on Seaside Lane in Easington Village after members of Durham County Council’s planning committee approved the plans on Tuesday. 

However, the proposal faced significant opposition from residents and the local MP due to the alleged “negative impact” it will have on the surrounding area and nearby residents. 

Labour MP for Easington, Grahame Morris said he was disappointed that greenfield space was being developed, when ample brownfield sites are available that would bring much needed regeneration. He added that transport links to Easington Village are substandard with poor reliability and several cancellations noted, with the train service also deemed inadequate and not fit for purpose. 

A petition backed by 381 signatories was also submitted in objection to the new housing development in the village. 

Cllr Bill Day, of Easington Parish Council, said the increase in new-build estates has affected the village’s unique identity and heritage. He added: “The continuous development in and around the village has resulted in a disproportionate number of newbuild properties since 2011. This application will have a further detrimental impact on the infrastructure and the heritage of the village.”

Councillors heard how residents have compared the two main road junctions and crossing points in the village as “like playing Russian roulette” due to the dangerous speeds that drivers drive at, which they say will increase with more homes in the area. 

Easington county councillor Angela Surtees also spoke in opposition of the proposal. “I am not adverse to housing development and know there is a need for new homes, but Easington Village has been saturated by housing developments recently and it will double the size of the village,” she said. “I really wish that developers would look further to more colliery areas and choose other sites.” 

Read next: 

Yet the applicant, Alan Snowdon, assured planning officers that the development will allow for a “high-quality development which is in keeping with the scale and character of Easington Village”. 

He added: “We intend to sell the application site to a developer in conjunction with a registered social housing provider in order to meet the need for affordable housing in the Easington area for local people.”

Further details on the layout of the estate will be provided at a later date.