CALLS for a public meeting to allow villagers objecting to plans to build a block of flats to air their views have been rejected.

Residents in Church View, Hurworth, near Darlington, believe the block of six flats proposed for the site of the village garage is too big for the area.

Church View Garage, one of the last remaining businesses in the village, would be demolished to make way for the two-storey block of flats.

Objectors said the size of the development conflicted with the local plan and that the proposed parking area for eight vehicles was too small.

Resident Tony Sanderson said: "The traffic and parking spaces outside the garage are bad enough now, but the flats and the new parking will be a danger to the kiddies.

"They have to pass the parking area to get to the school bus. There is also a residential home along the road."

Other residents, who have signed a petition against the plans, have called for cottages to be built instead of the flats, which they say will look like an inner-city development.

Campaigners had called for a meeting with Darlington Borough Council to discuss their concerns.

A council spokesman said a site meeting had already taken place with objectors, and that there would be no other public meetings until the planning meeting, where councillors will make a decision on the application.