PLANS to demolish a farm and scaffolding business and replace it with four houses have been agreed by councillors.

Members of Darlington Borough Council's planning committee gave its backing to the development on the outskirts of Sadberge after hearing from planning officer Dave Coates that the council's failure to identify a five year supply of housing meant that the authority had to take a less stringent view on applications for housing development.

The site off Middleton Lane, on the outskirts of Sadberge, near Darlington, was described as being a source of much complaint from local residents in terms of noise, traffic movement and the overall look of the land.

The council had turned down an application for six houses on the site in October but Mr Coates told councillors: "The difference is how we look at this application than we did back in October last year when that earlier application was refused.

""We are in different territory about how we view new housing development in the countryside since the ruling about the council's five year housing supply.

"The current situation is that we cannot identify that housing supply. Instead of relying on the council's own housing policies, we must instead refer to the national framework, which is based on a sustainability test.

"Based on that criteria it could be said that the site is a brownfield site and the development would improve the site quite demonstrably."

Sadberge Parish Council had objected to the application on the grounds that the houses would be outside of its development limits.

Committee member David Lyonette said: "I understand what the parish council is talking about. We've been very protective of Sadberge over the years and I agree with that.

"The A66 is a definite barrier between the village and this development and as this site is basically now a builders yard, a housing development will be a great improvement."