RESIDENTS have handed in a petition protesting at plans to build houses on a green area.

People at Blackfyne, near Consett, have collected 350 signatures so far against the development on the Blue Heaps, three-acres of grassland formed out of ore heaps in the days of the steelworks.

Residents say it as an amenity area and a short cut to Consett town centre.

Derwentside College gained ownership of the land when it became independent in 1993 but a spokesmsan has said the college's involvement in the matter ended with the sale of the land to a developer.

Forty people turned out and staged a re-enactment of Battle of the Blue Heaps, a riot in 1858 between locals and immigrant Irish workers, before the petition was presented to Derwentside District Council.

The council is due to decide a planning application for Strathmore Holdings to build 13 executive homes on Thursday, October 31.

Campaigner Greg Coltman said: "It has been used by the public for so many years that nobody should consider building on it. We'll fight these plans as far as we can. We were pleased with the turn-out. It was more than I expected on a work day.''

The planning application had been due to be considered this week by the council's development control committee but has been deferred so the objections can be analysed.