PLANS to create a war memorial garden in Egglescliffe have taken a step closer to fruition.

Egglescliffe Parish Council considered a sketch plan drawn up by Sarah Edwards, an environmental development officer at Stockton Borough Council, for the village's war memorial garden.

In a letter, she said that the actual design details would be resolved at the master plan and working drawing stage and asked for members' comments on the initial design.

She added: "I haven't undertaken a cost estimate yet, as this shall be determined firstly by the design and secondly by choice of materials." She added that the matter would be discussed further with both the parish council and the Tees Valley Wildlife Trust.

The proposal included an extension to the York stone hard surfaced area next to the war memorial to allow views across the valley and access for people with mobility problems.

There would be raised planting beds and a nine metre-high living willow backdrop fence and ornamental trees.

The seating area would be linked by a compacted gravel path to a meadow area comprising prairie planting.

There would also be a sheltered woodland edge area with a rustic seat. Log piles, bird and bat boxes would be then introduced over time to improve the garden's wildlife value.

Two shrub beds along the adopted highway path, including ornamental planting, that would be attractive to birds, bees and butterflies were also proposed.

Coun Sue Ireland said she thought the plan was excellent and that the garden would enhance the war memorial.

But Coun Geoff Turner said: "The people who I have spoken to like the space but there seems to be quite a lot of plants, especially larger shrubs.

"They also said it would be nice to see over the hedges into Yarm."

The clerk, Helen Rennison, said that the plan had been drawn up based on the parish council recreation committee's suggestions.

She said a viewing area was planned for the garden but that a view of Yarm would be difficult to incorporate due to the trees and hedges in farmers' fields behind the garden.

Chairman Coun Harry Alderton said: "It would be nice to sit on the seat and look out over the area, so I'm not sure about having any shrubs around the seating.

"We don't want too much planting because we have just cleared it out."

Coun Geoff Colling suggested that the seating area and the viewing area should be separate.

The council decided it was in favour of the general idea but agreed to raise concerns over the amount of proposed planting and maintenance for the design