A STORM of protest has erupted over plans to build houses on a national cycle route and to direct the route on roads through the middle of the estate.

Planning officers have recommended that Derwentside district councillors today approve the plans in Leadgate, despite the overwhelming opposition of residents.

Objections have also been raised by the police and Durham County Council highways chiefs.

Residents, who have criticised the charity Sustrans for agreeing to sell the land and reroute the C2C, which runs from coast to coast, through the estate, have urged the authority's development control committee to reject the plans.

Resident spokesman Keith Temperley said among the objections were the invasion of privacy caused by the height of development over existing houses and fears over safety at the junction with St Ives Road.

Mr Temperley said: "It is absolutely ludicrous building a housing estate on a national cycleway, which is a main route across the country.

"There will be more than 10,000 cyclists passing through every year - with cars reversing out of driveways and mothers with prams.

"We cannot believe that Sustrans would even consider selling the land."

Broseley Homes has applied to build 36 houses at Station Yard, St Ives Road, Leadgate, with access from St Ives Road.

County highways officials have insisted the C2C route remain on its existing route, going over the access road at a properly constructed cycleway crossing.

The police have raised concerns about security saying one of the keys to safety was the discouragement of "casual intrusion by non-residents".

In a report to today's meeting, planning officer Craig Stockley said while it was not an ideal situation that the proposed new route of the cycleway shared a significant stretch of the main estate road it was difficult to see any acceptable alternative.

C2C manager David Gray said the land had always been identified for housing development, with any money raised by a sale used by the charity for the long-term maintenance of the route.

He said: "We are perfectly happy that the route is threaded through a residential estate as in many other places on the C2C - Whitehaven, Penrith and further down on Tyneside."