DEVELOPERS who went to extreme lengths to move protected trees from land have received the go-ahead to build on the site.

Sedgefield Borough Council's development control committee approved plans for 11 industrial or warehouse units in Newton Aycliffe on Friday.

But before it could secure planning permission, Easter Properties had to work with the council and tree experts to move two 100-year-old crab apple trees from the middle of the land.

In the first operation of its kind in the borough, the trees were carefully lifted from the ground at Long Tens Way, on Aycliffe Industrial Estate, and moved to a corner of the site.

A road had to be built across the fields, so a crane and low loader could reach them.

A mini-excavator was used to dig around the roots, which were wrapped up and lifted by crane onto a low loader, trucked 100m and then replanted.

The operation took an eight-man team two days to complete and a watering routine is on-going.

At Friday's meeting, tree preservation officer Rodger Lowe told councillors he was confident the operation had been successful. But he added it could take five years before it could be sure the tress would survive.

The units will provide a combined floor space of 14,685sq m for industrial or storage and distribution companies.

Each will have a car park, with a total of 282 spaces, 40 cycle spaces and 15 lorry loading bays on the site.

The developer will also carry out landscaping.

The land is made up of four fields that were used for grazing animals and is classed as greenfield. But it is identified in the local plan as prestige business land.

County Durham Development Company is creating a 14-acre wildlife haven nearby with newt ponds, improved hedgerow and bat boxes to protect native wildlife.

Most councillors agreed that the development would provide high-quality industrial accommodation in an important employment site and approved the scheme.

Only Liberal Democrat councillor Kevin Thompson, of the Middlestone ward, objected, saying he didn't think development of greenfield land was the way forward.