RESIDENTS are preparing for a second battle against a housing development with coach and car parking in upper Teesdale

Villagers plan to object to proposals for 27 terrace houses with parking for 48 cars and four coaches in Bridge Street, Middleton in Teesdale, as they fear too many properties will be crammed on to the site.

The latest plans, submitted to Teesdale District Council earlier this month, follow an application for a similar scheme of 28 houses, which was withdrawn by applicant Harlequin Developments earlier this year.

The land is a green field site, which lies within a conservation area.

Bridge Street resident Gillian Gallagher, who organised a 500-name petition against the previous plans, plans to fight the new proposal with equal verve.

She said: "We are encouraging the people around here to object independently. We did a petition last time and the majority of people who signed it are opposed to the over-development of the Bridge Street site. That still stands, so I feel we can't go round and do another petition. I intend to include the existing petition with my objection."

She has written to people who signed the petition and is hoping a significant number will write to Teesdale District Council with their objections.

Mrs Gallagher said that as well as over-development, a major concern was that the proposal, which has been promised as a solution to the village's car parking problems, would have a neutral effect on the issue.

At best, it would only provide parking for current residents and the occupiers of the new houses, rather than visitors to the village.

"It's not going to achieve anything. It could possibly move vehicles off Bridge Street, which is congested, but that is all it will do. It is a very short-sighted view that these houses are going to be some sort of dream ticket for the village."

She said that access to the site from Bridge Street would also pose potential problems.

"There isn't really a safe point of access."

There are also fears that the development will be of little benefit to the local economy as it will attract people from outside the village who will commute to larger towns and cites.

"Local families aren't going to be able to afford them," she said. "It is a fallacy to think our traders are going to benefit, because they won't."

The developers have carried out an ecological survey, as there are concerns the proposal could affect bats which feed by the section of the River Tees which runs alongside the site.

English Nature has received the report and is examining it.

Representations must be received by the council by Wednesday, August 10.