RESIDENTS campaigning against a refuse handling depot fear that fires will break out if the depot is allowed to open near their homes.

Durham County Council is seeking planning consent to build a hot loading bay beside the depot, at Stainton Grove, near Barnard Castle.

Its application states that if any refuse is ignited on wagons taking it there it will be put into the special bay and damped down - but if it keeps on burning the fire brigade may be called.

Ruth Renton, co-ordinator of an action group battling to halt the depot scheme, said yesterday: "This new bid is causing a lot more worry for all the residents as the county documents make it clear fires may break out.

"Over 600 trees have been felled around the site but there are still plenty of others growing, and if they catch fire the situation could be really serious for everyone living nearby."

County documents attached to the planning application, which is to be considered by Teesdale District Council, state that refuse can start burning on wagons due to spontaneous combustion or over-hot material being included.

The refuse station has already been built but cannot be used until a licence is issued by the Environment Agency. The agency is still considering objections lodged by the action group.

The group has now sent details of the new application to its solicitor, Richard Buxton, of Oxford, who will study the details before lodging a formal objection against it.

David Hand, principal planning policy officer for Teesdale District Council, said yesterday: "We will look fully into all the details of the new application, and consider all points of the objection before our members come to a decision."

The intention is to send refuse from all over Teesdale to the depot, where it can be compacted into bales and then transported to other sites.

The residents oppose the plan, saying they will be affected by dirt, noise, vermin and extra traffic as well as the new threat of fires.