RESIDENTS who have raised concerns over a proposal to build up to 175 houses in a village have been reassured by a council that there is “no possibility of permission being granted” for the site within the next five years.

Hallam Land Management, a strategic land and planning promotion arm of Henry Boot Group, has proposed a residential development for between 150 to 175 houses on the land opposite the Miller Homes estate on the west of Roundhill Road, Hurworth.

Consultants ID Planning reached out to residents of Roundhill Road via letter on behalf of Hallam Land Management, in which they asked for residents' thoughts on the proposal.

The letter said that the site would “likely provide a range of homes for both open market sale and affordable housing”, along with vehicular access to the site.

In recent years housing schemes in the village have been met with strong opposition from residents.

This has included a proposal for 95 four and five-bedroom houses on the outskirts of the village, build by Bellway Homes, which was passed last year, despite over 100 objections from residents.

One resident, who feels strongly against future developments, is Henry Doran, 77, who said that future housing developments in the village now, or in five years, would “cause bedlam in the village”.

“Residents on Roundhill Road have been contacted by the developers about the proposal," said Mr Doran.

"But I believe that every resident in the village should be consulted on this, and all future, potential developments because it impacts all of us.”

“The majority of residents have already expressed our opinions against building any new large housing developments in a survey a few years back, so it’s disappointing to see developers still attempting to put applications through.

“I simply feel like Hurworth hasn’t been treated right in recent times. I think councillors forget that we are only a small village with one doctors, two schools and one local shop – all of which could not cope with a huge influx of new families depending on those resources.”

In a Hurworth Parish Council meeting on February 6, Cllr Lorraine Tostevin, who as Ward Councillor is responsible for Darlington Borough Council (DBC) planning, said that the proposal would likely be rejected because the council’s Framework Plan, which states there will be no major developments in Hurworth for the next five years.

Confirming this, a council spokesman said: “The proposal is not within the housing boundaries, nor is it an allocation in the council’s draft Local Plan.

“We also have a five year housing supply, so we would not consider that site as a possibility for granting planning permission within the next five years.”

Hallam Land Managment and ID Planning were contacted for comment but have not responded.