GOVERNMENT officers are to investigate claims that a council has acted improperly over a controversial housing development.

Officials from the Local Government Ombudsman have answered the calls of residents in Stanley, who believe they were not properly consulted about the Murray Park estate.

Householders in Church Street, Kay Street and Ridley Street are angry that five more houses are being added to the 108-home estate, on a site previously earmarked as a play area.

The land level for the extra homes has been raised and a boundary wall up to five metres high is being built just yards from the ends of the three streets.

Ron Wilson, 55, of Kay Street, said: "We are very angry and bitter about it."

Developers Bowey Homes and Dunelm Castle Homes are building the estate on the former Murray Park greyhound stadium site. They say the boundary wall is necessary to keep the raised land level stable. Work started on the wall last month - despite the fact that the council had not granted consent.

Residents believe officers at Derwentside District Council acted improperly, to ensure planning permission for the extra homes was pushed through.

Only four households were directly informed about the proposed extra houses. The proposals planners sent to their own councillors did not state where the five homes would be, saying only they were for somewhere 'to the north of Stanley.'

Two letters of objection were sent in by residents, but were treated as 'observations' by planners. This allowed the planning officers to grant permission in July under their delegated powers, without going before the development control committee.

Ward councillor Kevin Howe, who does not sit on the committee, said: "Questions have to be asked how these delegated powers are being used."

On Monday, more than 20 householders waving placards turned out as the committee, made a site visit to the wall.

The development control committee will make a final decision on the wall next month.