GARAGE owners who say their customers were driven away by a controversial flats development claim they warned council planners they would be forced to move.

George and Irene Stephenson are looking for new premises for their motor business after moving out of their showroom Leyland House, in Tindale Crescent, last week.

The couple, who live in West Auckland, were among dozens of objectors to plans passed by Wear Valley District Council earlier this year for 70 flats on the old Clifton Suite Centre site.

They kept their business open after demolition started before deciding there was too much disruption to their business to carry on.

Mr Stephenson, aged 58, said: "This is the wrong time of life for me to start up again. It is difficult to find new premises.

"We feel really bitter because we told the planners this would happen and they didn't listen.

"Even with the door to the premises closed, dust has accumulated in vast amounts, water has seeped through partly demolished walls and vandalism of the site has left our garage totally insecure and dangerous.

"No wonder customers have been driven away and trade has been greatly reduced.

"All these problems were predicted and pointed out to the planners and officers who said there would be minimal disruption to our business.

"It would seem that, although we have been in the motor trade for 43 years, the planners assumed they knew our business better."

Developers Cambridge Court Developments Ltd, of Darlington, have submitted an amended planning application for an extra 12 flats on the garage site.

Bob Hope, the council's director of regeneration, said: "We can only respond to a developer's proposal.

"The original submission was considered to be acceptable and approval was given. We have to look at it in terms of planning guidelines.

"We had concerns about the development but the committee took the view, on the recommendation of officers, that the conversion of the site from the Suite Centre to housing was acceptable."