Darlington’s rural villages and green belt could be at risk from further house building, it has been warned. 

The new Labour government’s pledge to build 1.5 million houses across the UK has been met with concern by people living in the borough. 

Relaxed planning laws could free up pockets of land on Darlington’s green periphery. The Government suggested it would consult on “how, not if” projects should take place, with speeding up development seen as key to its mission to boost economic growth.

Housing developers have already built large estates in rural areas and many fear that could continue, a council meeting heard. 

Hurworth councillor Lorraine Tostevin asked the Labour-Liberal Democrat administration whether it plans to rip up its Local Plan. 

“Have the rural areas around Darlington lost their protection?” 

The Conservative member added: “I have spent a lot of time assuring residents that the house building in the Local Plan is the extent of the house building in Darlington. 

“I seem to start to worry now that I may have to go back to them and tell them that these areas, particularly Hurworth, Neasham, and Middleton St George, most of whom didn’t vote for a Labour government anyway, are now going to be the first for further house building.”

Despite concern over the green belt being targeted, Labour said brownfield land should be targeted first under its plans, followed by what it describes as the “grey belt” – low-quality areas such as disused car parks and wasteland on parts of protected land.

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Councillor Chris McEwan, cabinet member for economy, said the council’s planning policy document could be reviewed. 

“As you well know, being a former cabinet member, we cannot rip up the Local Plan until we have a new one in place. 

“But we were planning a review of it because it’s reviewed every five years. That needs to happen because the economy does change, so we need to revalue it and review it.”