HURWORTH Parish Council has joined residents fighting plans to build a block of six flats in the village.

On Tuesday, the council inspected the proposals to demolish Church View Garage, one of the last remaining businesses in the village, to make way for the two-storey block.

Four flats at the front of the building and two at the back are planned with an attic layout comprising rooms in the roof space. The garage forecourt will also be used to provide eight parking spaces.

The proposed site is opposite All Saints' Church.

More than a dozen members of the public attended the meeting. They raised a number of objections including the height of the flats, parking and said the building's character was out of keeping with the area.

Coun Peter Foster said: "I think the proposed flats are too high and do not fit into the area. From Church Lane there is a beautiful view of All Saints' Church and the flats will block that view.

"The six flats will make parking difficult and it would be a better idea to build cottages on the site in keeping with the area.

"I'm also worried about the cottage next to the garage; if it is supported by the building there could be problems when it is demolished."

Coun John Lawrie added: "The cottage's yards in Church View will also be faced with a building two storeys high."

Councillors were concerned over the eight proposed parking spaces and clerk Ian Murphy pointed out the area was a conservation site.

Coun Foster said: "I think it is the wrong place to put flats."

Acting chairman Coun Clive Bullock said that as servants of the parish, they were objecting to the plans.

The parish council will contact Darlington Council to ask it to refuse the plans, basing its objections on the severe impact on Church View residents, the plan's scale, car parking, lack of space, restrictions on views of the church from the cottages and that it is in a conservation area.

Protests were also voiced against a separate planning application to demolish the garage only. Councillors and residents are objecting to this proposal because the empty site would be left as an eyesore and could be unsafe.