A LEADING councillor claims that the future economic health and wellbeing of part of the region is hanging in the balance.

Councillor Alan Cox, a member of Durham County Council's cabinet, said the county faced a nervous wait over the next few months until Communities and Local Government Secretary Hazel Blears reaches a final decision on the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) - the planning blueprint that will dictate future development in the region.

Government inspectors have recommended the deletion and dilution of several key projects, which the council feels are vital to the county's future.

Although Ms Blears has invited comments on the proposed changes, Coun Cox is expected to tell Thursday's cabinet meeting he is still "seriously concerned".

He said: "We have always maintained, from the first draft, that elements of the RSS favour development in the major conurbations of Tyneside to the north and Teesside to the south, at the expense of County Durham. The Government's proposed changes reinforce that fear."

Among changes proposed by the Government are a threat to limit the growth of NetPark in Sedgefield; restrictions on the number of new houses that can be built; and blocking major job creation projects such as the proposed regional rail freight depot at Tursdale and industrial sites at Seaham and Heighington Lane, Newton Aycliffe.

Coun Cox said latest figures showed County Durham would need 6,000 additional businesses and 15,000 new jobs to close the employment gap with the rest of the country.

He added: "We are not going to hit anything like these targets if the RSS remains in anything like its current shape."