PLANS to demolish miners’ retirement bungalows and build replacements on the same site have won the backing of councillors.

The Durham Aged Mineworkers Homes Association wants to raze the 12 Edwardian-style cottages at the George Parkinson Memorial Homes, Sherburn Village.

The site, near the village’s crossroads, is part of the village’s conservation area.

The association, one of the region’s leading social landlords, plans to build 16 two-bed bungalows on the land and on a greenfield site at the back of the existing homes.

It wants to bring the accommodation up to modern standards but plans to build the new homes in the style of the old.

Durham City Council’s development control committee was told that the history group based at Sherburn Hill Community Centre wanted the stone memorial tablet in the homes to be retained.

One resident of Chapel Court wrote to the council saying the demolition was "vandalism’’ as the properties were "the best examples of early 19th Century miners homes in east Durham, whose loss will be particularly felt in a village displaying little architectural merit or historic association’’.

The council’s deputy leader, Carol Woods, a Liberal Democrat councillor for Sherburn, urged the committee to support the development, saying that there were many people in the village who were "very keen that this goes ahead’’.

She told councillors: "The bungalows are in a the conservation area and they do add to the area but they are now past their sell by date.

"I am very glad that the Durham Aged Mineworkers Homes Association are going to replace the bungalows. They provide accommodation that is very much needed.

"The waiting list for two-bed homes in Sherburn Village is 11 years at the moment.’’ Stuart Walton, her fellow Liberal Democrat member for the village, said: "The George Parker Memorial Homes were built in 1913 and they have been a part of my life.

"I am pleased with this plan because it does not alter the character of the homes too much.’’ The scheme was also backed by Liberal Democrat councillor for Carrville and Gilesgate Moor, Dennis Southwell, who said: "It is a very positive application for regeneration. The Durham Aged Minerworkers Homes Association is a very active social landlord.

The committee voted to approve the scheme, as recommended by the council’s planning officers.