RESIDENTS have vowed to fight a £50m housing development that could see 800 houses built next to one of County Durham's finest country homes.

Plans for the estate, next to Whitworth Hall, in Spennymoor, the ancestral home of folk hero Bobby Shafto, were unveiled earlier this month.

Residents living next to the proposed development have criticised Sedgefield Borough Council for considering the plans.

They say the council spent thousands of pounds almost ten years ago trying to stop people living in nearby Kirkdale from putting a fence up behind their homes because it ruined "an area of outstanding natural beauty".

Derek Ferguson, 44, who lived in Kirkdale at the time, said he could not believe the council would not allow residents to build a fence, but it was prepared to let developers build 800 houses on the land.

Mr Ferguson, who now lives in nearby Canterbury Close, said: "Each person bought the section of land behind their houses to extend their gardens, but the council said it was an encroachment into the countryside and would spoil an area of outstanding natural beauty.

"Eventually, the residents won their appeal, but the council spent a lot of money fighting against it on those grounds and now it is considering building all those houses.''

Catherine Plews, 54, who lives in Keldmere with her husband Stuart, 55, said: "I bought this house because of those views - and they are definitely going to go.''

Dick and Edith Bonner, also from Keldmere, said they felt the estate would ruin the countryside and they were also worried about an increase in traffic.

Mr Bonner, 50, said: "It is going to be impossible to get out of here on a morning.''

They are asking residents to sign a petition, which will be presented to the council.

Director of planning and technical services for Sedgefield Borough Council, John Litherland, said the council fought the residents' fence because it would have taken away a public footpath.

About the plans for the new estate he said: "We have had two exhibitions in the town and when we get the results of the consultation, we will take it to our members to reach a view.''