Community leaders are urging residents to fight plans to build blocks of flats.

Egglescliffe Parish Council was behind a leaflet drop at the weekend, urging thousands of households to make their voices heard.

This follows a failed appeal to Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott to plug what is seen as a loophole in guidance to house builders.

Earlier this year, Wimpey withdrew a plan to build 24 flats on the site of a detached house, which would have been demolished, only after a public outcry.

A planning application has been submitted to Stockton Borough Council to knock down a petrol filling station in the centre of Eaglescliffe and build 31 apartments on the site.

Neighbouring residents have also been approached and asked if they would like to sell their homes to a builder.

More plans have also been submitted to build 50 homes, including apartments, on the edge of Eaglescliffe.

There were local protests when, several months ago, an Edwardian villa was knocked down at Eaglescliffe and replaced with a block of executive apartments.

The rash of schemes follows the Government's guidance to builders to build on "previously developed land".

The parish council said the phrase could include houses with established gardens.

It said it has had no positive support from Mr Prescott or MP Dari Taylor.

Urging residents to write to Mr Prescott and Mrs Taylor, the leaflet says: "The message is simple: we want Eggles-cliffe and Eaglescliffe to remain a place where our children can thrive in the sound knowledge that our environment is not being destroyed by covering our green spaces with flats and car parks.

"We want planning policy guidance amended to close the loophole that is allowing this to happen."

Mrs Taylor could not be contacted for comment yesterday.