A PROPOSAL to build homes on allotments in Sacriston has been called in by the Deputy Prime Minister's office.

Sacriston Parish Council has applied for outline planning permission to build an undisclosed number of homes on Cross Lane allotments.

But the plans have been called in by John Prescott's Office and will be the subject of a public inquiry.

The parish council said that only three of more than 20 allotment sites were cultivated.

The remainder were over-grown and were becoming somewhere for people to dump rubbish and a place where vandals could strike.

But the plan to sell the land for housing has met with objections from some residents. Sacriston parish council clerk Colin Turnbull said there was very little option over the future of the plot.

He said: "It's overgrown with weeds and it's getting used as a dumping ground by people. Being only a small parish council the parish does not have enough funds to tidy the place up.

"We thought we could sell the land to a developer and get some outline planning approval to increase the cost of the land. It would be up to the developer to decide, but I imagine you could get somewhere in the region of 15 to 18 properties."

The date of the public inquiry is yet to be announced.