PEOPLE in a former colliery community are invited to have their say on the potential development of hundreds of new houses.

An estimated 600 homes could be built on sites in Easington Lane, on the Sunderland side of the county boundary with Durham, if expressions of interest are followed up and planning consent is granted.

Rather than deal with the applications individually, a document is being drawn up to co-ordinate an overall community development plan.

The document, the Easington Lane Development Framework, will be used as planning guidance for all proposed housing sites.

It will include guidelines on the number of homes, the density, layout and structure of the housing, and details on access, provision for open space and landscaping.

The draft framework can be viewed by locals, businesses, developers and interest groups during a six-week public consultation from Monday.

Copies will be available at Easington Lane Library, at nearby Elemore Community Centre and the Hetton Centre, in Hetton-le-Hole.

There will also be public exhibitions at the community centre and at the Hetton Centre from Monday, August 23, to Friday, September 10.

Councillor Joe Lawson, Sunderland City Council member for the Houghton-le-Spring area, said: "Beginning in 2003 and throughout this year, a number of private housing developers have been showing a keen interest in sites in Easington Lane.

"The outlook and views towards Murton are idyllic from there.

"The questions of private housing, land development, the prospect of a primary school and the general urban renewal in the area makes a co-ordinated approach very important.

"We thought this would be helped by some regulation.

"Rather than do it piecemeal, we have come forward with this strategy for supplementary planning guidelines.

"It is really a beacon of hope to the residents of Easington Lane, who can look forward to this leading to a much better future for the area, and, as well as explaining the framework, we would welcome people's views."

Responses to the plans must be submitted to the council by September 24.