AN application to build a housing estate could be refused after the developers were warned that they should consider brownfield sites.

Members of Wear Valley District Council are being asked to reject plans for the development at St Helen Auckland, near Bishop Auckland.

Broseley Homes wants to build 84 houses on land off Old Hall Farm Road.

The development would consist of 17 two-bedroom houses, 47 three-bedroom properties and 20 four-bedroom homes.

In a report, Bob Hope, director of regeneration at the council, said that the site was predominately a greenfield location and that there were brownfield sites in the village that needed to be considered first.

He said: "Outline planning permission exists on the western part of the site. There is therefore no objection in principle to the development of this part of the site.

"The eastern part of the site is greenfield land. Brownfield sites must be developed before greenfield sites.''

Mr Hope said that the demolition of homes in Central Avenue was imminent and this would mean that the area would be available for new housing developments.

He said: "There is a significant amount of new brownfield land available for residential development. The release of greenfield land would prejudice the development of these other sites.

"The proposed development is therefore premature and prejudicial to the development of both allocated and brownfield land identified in the West Auckland/St Helen's area.''

The plans will be discussed at tonight's meeting of Wear Valley District Council's development control committee, which is being held in the council offices, in Crook, at 6pm.