RESIDENTS are preparing to mount their toughest campaign yet to block revised plans for new homes.

Last year Wimpey Homes and Bryant Homes applied for permission to build 193 houses on fields at Rainton Gate, West Rainton, according to a ten-year-old agreement for up to 229 homes on the site.

The development was held up because of a condition that the house builders provide a grade-separated junction on the busy A690 between Durham and Sunderland, which they considered too expensive.

As part of last year's application, they offered to construct a traffic light junction instead, as well as helping Durham County Council fund a new park-and ride-complex at Carrville. While the county council agreed to this, Durham City Council rejected the proposal.

The move was welcomed by local residents, who formed an action group to block the development, claiming it would cause traffic problems, ruin West Rainton's character and lead to further expansion.

A public inquiry into the matter was scheduled to take place last December, but before it began, the house builders pulled out.

Now Wimpey has submitted new plans for a different development, comprising 308 properties, on the same site.

Lesley King, of the West Rainton Action Group, said it would fight even harder this time to ensure they were never built.

"All along, the majority of residents have been against building houses and extending our village.

"This latest plan defies belief.

"We shall oppose it more strongly than ever, and we'll be better prepared this time because we know how the system works."

Unlike the last application, for executive homes, the latest is for a range of different houses aimed at different markets. A Wimpey spokesman denied that they would spoil West Rainton.

"Wimpey Homes has a proven track record of designing buildings which are sympathetic to their environment, and the planning application at West Rainton is an excellent example of this," he said.