VILLAGERS have won their battle to stop a housing estate being built on their doorstep after councillors unanimously rejected the proposal.

Developers Hallam Land Management had applied for outline planning permission to build 190 homes on farmland next to Parkhill, near Coxhoe, County Durham.

But the application was rejected this afternoon (TUES) by members of Durham County Council’s County Planning committee after members heard of the widespread opposition to the scheme.

Hallam said the application, for a seven-hectare site next to Coxhoe Ponds wildlife site, would “deliver a high quality residential environment” and would create hundreds of jobs in the area as well as 38 affordable homes.

Speaking on behalf of Hallam, Andrew Windress told the meeting at County Hall: “This proposal has a number of significant benefits arising from it and should be supported”.

However, objectors argued that the new estate would be in open countryside and would effectively double the size of Parkhill.

Both Cassop-Cum-Quarrington Parish Council and Coxhoe Parish Council formally objected to the proposal, along with the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England and residents’ group Parkhill Neighbours, set up to fight the development.

The council also received 36 letters of objection, including one from the Coxhoe Medical Practice, although the Highways Agency withdrew its initial objection ahead of the meeting.

Addressing councillors, resident Frank Salisbury of Parkhill Neighbours described the proposal as a “horrendous development” and told councillors: “The people of Parkhill are not stupid, they know this is about money”.

He added: “The creation of this housing estate will create a worse place to live.”

Planning officers recommended the application be refused. Senior planning officer Colin Harding told members: “We consider the development to represent an unacceptable incursion into the countryside.”

Discussing the application, committee member Cllr Paul Taylor said: “It’s a significant incursion into the countryside and it’s contrary to more policies that I would care to mention.”