JUBILANT villagers celebrated yesterday after winning their battle to prevent a block of flats being built near their homes.

In unprecedented scenes, more than 30 residents of Lanchester, near Consett, packed a council planning meeting in Consett Civic Centre to protest against the development.

At one point, councillors threatened to abandon the meeting, unless the rowdy protestors calmed down.

Despite planning officers recommending the two blocks of flats for approval, Derwentside District Council's development control committee turned down the scheme.

Mike Gladstone organised the village protest, along with a demonstration outside the civic centre before the meeting.

"We are extremely pleased," he said. "It just shows what the whole community together can achieve.

"Some people think they cannot influence things, but when a large group of people get together, this is what happens."

Graham Edward, architect for builder Halladale Developments, said the company had good grounds for an appeal and would consider it.

Halladale wanted to build two blocks comprising 28 flats, on part of the car park behind the Kings Head pub in Lanchester.

The land is classed as brownfield and the council's planning officers said there was no legal justification for turning down the application.

But villagers had been outraged by the scheme, because it involved the felling of 30 trees - some of which have stood for 150 years.

Although tree specialists had found that 12 were diseased or dying and the developer had promised to replace all 30 with mature trees, the planning committee said it could not let them be felled.

Villagers had also objected on the grounds that the development was not in keeping with the village, which is a conservation area, and would endanger wildlife.

It is the second time in less than six months that people power in Lanchester has seen off a developer.

In April this year, a similar protest persuaded councillors to go against the recommendations of its planning officers and turn down a scheme to build 12 homes on the Russell Close garage.

"There are around 60 different organisations in Lanchester," said Mr Gladstone.

"This gives us an enormous reservoir of talent, ability and enthusiasm that we can draw on when we need it."