A DESPERATE plea to reduce the number of flats on a new Darlington development fell on deaf ears this week.

Furious residents have threatened to complain to the Ombudsman about the way Darlington Council planning committee made its decision to allow 18 flats on the site of the former Bannatyne Fitness offices at 55 Cleveland Terrace.

The land is now in the hands of a new company, Kebbell Developments.

The scheme involves demolishing the offices in favour of two two-storey blocks, with accommodation in the roof, for one and two-bedroom flats.

Jeremy Smith, planning officer, said he had received 14 letters of objection since amendments were made to counter previous complainants, who feared loss of privacy.

He said the density of the development was no different to other recent flat schemes approved in the town.

But Susanne Davison, for the residents, said a reasonable compromise would be to reduce it to 14 flats, which would still be a viable proposition and would make the scheme acceptable to residents, who would suffer less loss of light.

"The bottom line is we don't believe a single person here - councillor, planning officer or private developer - would be happy to have such an overbearing building constructed in their back yard.

"To fully appreciate the impact of this block we would like to ask you to make a site visit."

Coun Cindi Hughes suggested taking up the invitation, but chairman Coun Frank Robson said nothing more would be achieved by doing that.

She also drew comparisons with a previous Cockerton scheme, that the committee turned down because of high density, that Mr Smith said had now gone to appeal.

Coun Sheila Brown pointed out there was only one parking space per flat, which could be insufficient. She also thought there was an attempt to "shoehorn" as many homes as possible onto the site and said Kebbell had a responsibility to the existing residents.

But the chairman insisted the committee would be letting down other taxpayers if it failed to comply with Government guidance.

"If this authority does that and it goes to appeal and we lose it, I am pretty sure it would cost this authority a lot of money," he declared amid comments of "that's blackmail".

Coun Glen Reynolds suggested waiting to find out the result of the Cockerton appeal, but Coun Robson told him it would be totally wrong to defer a decision on those grounds.

Council leader John Williams proposed granting the application, which was agreed by a majority.

After the meeting Trudi Whitley, on behalf of other residents, blamed Coun Robson for blocking efforts to defer a decision.

"He just wanted to push it through," she declared. "We felt it was out and out blackmail. We intend to take this to the Ombudsman. It is a complete injustice."