ANGRY residents claim that their council failed to consult them about plans to build a five-metre-high wall near their homes.

Last year, Derwentside District Council granted permission for 108 houses on the site of the former Murray Park greyhound stadium in Stanley, County Durham.

All the householders in nearby Kay Street, Church Street and Ridley Street were consulted on the plans and did not object.

But the developers, Dunelm Castle Homes and Bowey Homes, submitted amended plans to build five extra houses - on a site originally earmarked as the estate's play area.

Only four households were consulted on the new plans and, despite two letters of objection, the council approved the scheme in July.

Ron Wilson, 55, of Kay Street, said: "They seem to have disregarded any concerns or objections from the residents."

The council's head of environmental services, Peter Reynolds, said: "There are no statutory obligations on the number of people who have to be notified."

Residents have since learned that, because the land for the extra houses is being raised, their properties will now border a three-metre- high boundary wall, topped with a one-metre-high retaining wall and a 1.65-metre wooden fence. Maureen Storey, chairman of Stanley Action Group Enterprise, said: "This is going to tower over people's homes."

The boundary wall is fitted with 50mm drainage pipes that will carry water off the development and onto an unadopted road at the end of the three terraces. Arthur Jackson, 62, of Church Street, said: "If the drains can't cope with the water, our fear is it is going to flood these houses."

More than 50 concerned residents gathered at the site for a meeting with senior planning officer Simon-le-Jeune on September 20.

A petition with more than 100 names has been sent to the council objecting to the scheme.

Work on the wall has already started - despite a condition imposed by the council in July, forbidding any building work until the exact site of the wall was agreed.

A decision on lifting the condition will be taken by the council's development control committee, when it meets in Consett Civic Centre on Thursday.

Mr Reynolds said: "Officers have written to the developer and asked them to hold off while members give the matter proper consideration.

"If members do not discharge this condition, the wall could well have to come down."

The developers declined to make any comment about the development.