ANXIOUS residents have met to discuss plans for a housing and retail complex in their village.

Proposals have been submitted to Durham County Council (DCC) for 10 bungalows, three detached houses, 25 self build plots, a 57-bed care home, a community centre and seven retail units in Howden-le-Wear.

Some village residents received a letter alerting them to the plans early last week and now have until November 14 to submit any objections before the public consultation process closes.

Leanne Crook, of Howden Green, said: “A meeting was held for everybody to discuss their anxieties and what we are going to do.

“We don’t feel like two weeks is a fair amount of time for us to respond, it’s just such a shock. People are saying that they will move if the plans go ahead.”

The applicant submitted the proposals to develop land between Hargill Road and Railway Street on Monday, October 20.

Another Howden Green resident added: “There is no need for a development of that size in this village, I don’t know why anybody would want to turn another village into a small town.

“Crook is only a mile away and Bishop Auckland five miles away, an infrastructure that big will ruin Howden-le-Wear.”

Villager John McGow, who moved from Newcastle for a quiet village lifestyle to raise his young family, said:

“I feel like we are being rail-roaded and the fact is, that a lot of residents don’t even know about this. I have seen the neighbour notification list and it only has about 50 properties on it.

“I think it’s wrong that we have just over two weeks to submit our objections, that’s not enough time to research and look into the case.”

The applicant said in a statement: “It has been concluded that the proposal is acceptable in principle and will not have any significant adverse impacts upon the surrounding area in terms of visual, landscape, traffic and parking and other amenity or environmental considerations.

“It has also been shown that any adverse impacts arising from the development would not be significant and would be outweighed by the material benefits arising from the construction of the new homes.”

To view the application, visit www.publicaccess.durham.gov.uk/online-applications and search for reference DM/14/03185/FPA