THE building of more than 300 flats, cottages and houses will go ahead on the former Darlington Chemicals factory site in Faverdale.

The plans, which were approved by Darlington Borough Council's planning committee yesterday, will form part of the West Park development.

The two sites, one fronting on to West Auckland Road, will cover more than 23 acres.

Architects from developer Bellway Homes were praised by councillors yesterday for providing a wide variety of home designs, including two and three-storey houses and open spaces.

Each house will have a private, enclosed rear garden and a semi-private space at the front. Both sites are designed to be laid out like villages, with each structured around a main "village street".

The schemes are part of the West Park development, which incorporates more than 700 houses, a large park, a new ground for Mowden Park Rugby Club, and a hospital unit. Councillors on the planning committee also approved plans for a roundabout on West Auckland Road.

The council had received more than 20 objections to the roundabou, including one from Leftbank Developments, which wants to convert Faverdale Hall into luxury homes.