FEARS that dozens of new homes will swamp a dales community will be aired at a public meeting tonight.

Wolsingham Parish Council has called the meeting to hear concerns over a proposed Yuill estate on the edge of the village.

Residents in three streets close to the Sawmills site held talks with the council last week.

They told members they were unhappy with the scale of the planned development and its closeness to existing houses, particularly in Ward Terrace, which has open views onto a field at present.

Parish council chairman John Anderson said: "We have spoken to people from Ward Terrace, Attwood Terrace and Durham Road and now we want to know what the rest of the village feels.

"Yuill has said that these are only preliminary plans and they would be happy to take people's views into account.

"But there is a lot of concern about the proposals, including the fears that there are too many houses and the development would swamp the village.

"Land is earmarked for houses in the district plan but that originally said 55 houses, with 11 affordable homes, while this is for 117 - which is double - with only 15 affordable. Such a big increase has come as a shock to people and this is a big issue in Wolsingham.

"The developers would put in a road to a new business park and to the Weardale Railway yard, which would bring benefits. It is very difficult."

The meeting is in the St Anne's Centre, in the recreation ground, at 7pm.