TWO dozen residents in a tiny village have complained over a neighbour's ambitious plans to alter their home.

Stockton Borough Council has received 26 letters of objection to the proposal to extend and alter the bungalow, known as Summerhill, on High Lane, Maltby, close to Ingleby Barwick.

Two ward councillors and Maltby Parish Council have also objected.

The homeowners have applied to:

* Build a new double garage and sun room at the side and front of the house

* Convert the existing garage into a habitable room

* Extend the front of the house

* Raise the height of the roof to accommodate rooms and dormer windows.

A previous application was refused last year, and while some aspects of the plans have been addressed, planning officers have recommended that the resubmitted proposal also be turned down next week, on the grounds that the double garage would be "incongruous".

Last night, The Northern Echo learned that the house owners yesterday had agreed to ditch plans for the garage in the hope the proposal would be passed.

Stockton Borough Councillors David Harrington and Andrew Larkin, who represent Ingleby Barwick East ward, said, before hearing of the amendment: "We support residents in their objections because the development is not in keeping with the village setting and is overbearing."

Owners of the house, Mr and Mrs J Wall, do not live in the house, but their agent Malcolm Tempest said they planned to return.

He said: "I have been doing this job for 30-odd years and, without doubt, this is the most vociferous group of objections I have ever seen to a relatively small project.

"All the owners are trying to do is remodel the house to make it more suitable to make it fit in to the village scene.

"We believe we have got it right."