PLANS for a scheme to compost biodegradable waste has drawn opposition because it is too near homes.

Sedgefield Borough Council is to object to the application at a farm in Spennymoor, County Durham.

The applicant wants to create the composting unit in a farm shed near the five-house hamlet of Todhills.

The waste, which would be brought on to the site, includes sawdust, chipboard, paper and food processing waste.

Durham County Council, as the waste disposal authority, has to determine the application.

But borough council officers said they were worried about the effect of the scheme on the properties.

A report from borough planners said: "There is the potential for wind-blown dust or odours to adversely affect nearby residential properties, despite the applicant's best effort to effectively manage the site.

"Furthermore, wind-blown dust of the type of materials that are proposed to be recycled would not normally be associated with a countryside setting."

Officers also pointed to the lack of controls to deal with the noise, and have urged the county council to refuse the application.