AMENDED plans are being drawn up for 28 new houses in Egglescliffe after a resident reluctantly decided to sell his home.

John Ross, who lives in Aislaby Road, told the parish council last week that he had been made an offer to sell his home to the property development company, Charles Church.

He said that subject to the amended planning application, the company would buy the property and demolish it so it could be encompassed into plans to build new houses in Aislaby Road.

A proposal to demolish four houses and replace them with 29 homes was passed by Stockton Borough Council last September. However, the amended plans will seek permission to demolish five homes and to build 28 new houses.

Mr Ross, who worked with the parish council for 18 months campaigning against the development, said: "Charles Church has made some changes which seem to be better. But we did see some disadvantages. The houses are taller and will be built very close to our land which is something we have no protection from in the planning process.

"We were asked if there was any possibility of providing a piece of land to make the gardens bigger, but we really felt we were losing the essence of an isolated plot.

"We expressed those concerns and on Christmas Eve we were made an offer for our property so that the scheme could be slightly extended.

"In principle we've decided to go ahead with it."

Mr Ross said that he was informing his neighbours of the plans but felt that the impact on their properties would be relatively small.

"We feel very reluctant to have been pushed into something we didn't want to be pushed into," he said.

A representative from Charles Church will attend next week's parish council to discuss its plans.