COUNCILLORS have given their approval to plans to build three houses on the site of a former County Durham slaughterhouse.

The application to build the houses at Hamsterley, in Teesdale, was approved despite concerns from the local ward councillor that there could be difficulties with access to the site.

Two previous applications to build the houses had been refused.

However, a planning inspectors' report said the site should be classified as previously developed.

The local councillor, George Richardson, said that he would like to see something done with the land, as it was an untidy site.

However, he was concerned that access to the three houses would not be adequate.

He said: "If there was someone coming in and someone coming out, it would mean the car coming out would have to reverse back onto the main highway."

However, planning officer Wendy Thompson said that the Highways Department had no objections to the application.

She said the inspector's report had supported the previous application and, if this application was refused, then the refusal would most likely be overturned on appeal and the council would have to bear the costs.

The application was passed by 11 votes to one.