PLANS to build 32 apartments in Eaglescliffe have been rejected by councillors following public opposition.

District councillors backed residents who opposed plans by Carlton Development for the site of a derelict filling station.

Stockton Borough Council received a 200-name protest petition and 53 individual letters against the development, and only one letter in support.

Now, planning councillors have ruled that the scheme would be out of keeping with the area, over-develop the site, have inadequate car parking and be detrimental to road safety.

Norman Peterson, of Sedgefield-based Carlton Developments, refused to discuss the the decision.

However, he had told Egglescliffe parish councillors that he realised that residents had concerns.

He told them he planned to draw up a revised, smaller scheme for the old Orchard Service Station site, which hundreds of local people petitioned to keep open.

Garage proprietor Andy Adamson, 44, had offered service station owners Save Retail £350,000 for the business.

He raised the money by re-mortgaging his home and taking a business partner, but to no avail.

Helen Rennison, clerk to Egglescliffe Parish Council, said: "We are pleased Mr Peterson from Carlton Developments is listening to people's comments and he is intending having a word with his architect before putting in a revised plan on a smaller scale, which the parish council will look at in detail when they have it in front of them.''

Egglescliffe ward councillor Maureen Rigg, who sits on Stockton council's planning committee, said: "I share residents' concerns about over-development and I hope that, when the developer comes back with a new plan, it is more in the traditional style.''

Residents and local councillors have been concerned about a series of plans to build apartment blocks at Eaglescliffe, entailing the destruction of established houses, gardens and mature trees.

They won the support of Stockton South MP Dari Taylor.

Eaglescliffe has become popular with builders encouraged by Government guidance to build on "previously developed land.''

Wimpey withdrew plans to demolish a house in South View to replace with 24 apartments, in the face of residents' protests.