AN OUTRAGED parish council has branded Darlington's planning process a mockery which fails to pay any attention to its views.

The discovery that it was being consulted over the demolition of buildings in its conservation area - approved the previous week - was the last straw for some members of Middleton St George Parish Council.

The application to demolish a bungalow and garage at 61 Middleton Lane arrived at Monday's meeting. But approval had been given by the previous Wednesday's borough council planning meeting, as part of a package for three-storey detached houses. The parish council wrote objecting to the design of the houses.

At the planning meeting, there was criticism of the height of the buildings compared to nearby dormer bungalows, the cramped development and the closeness to a bedroom. The scheme was passed on a 5-4 vote.

Parish council chairman, Coun Brian Jones, said: "This demolition has already been approved by Darlington council. Our views are wanted no later than November 12 - which is today."

Coun Mike McBride asked: "What sort of process are we involved in? Is it worth our while sitting every month going through these applications, when no regard whatsoever is taken of the wishes of the village."

Recalling the ombudsman's censure over the handling of a scheme at Brinkburn Drive in Darlington, he went on: "The council has been found guilty of maladministration. It was a development too close to existing homes, too high and the committee failed to carry out a site visit properly. There are a lot of similarities between that application and this."

It was agreed to send a strong letter to the council, formally objecting to being consulted too late.

"Perhaps we should send a letter saying the whole procedure is suspect, " said Coun John Sterling. "We are under criticism from the people of this village for allowing too many houses. The whole procedure is a mockery."

Coun McBride said: "The people most closely affected by this development might think of taking things further, to the ombudsman."

l A spokesman for Darlington Borough Council said there was a statutory obligation to consult on a property in a conservation area.

"Unfortunately, this particular application did not come in at the same time as the one for the buildings. It was explained at the planning meeting that by agreeing to allowing the five houses to be built, members implicitly agreed to the demolition of the 1960s' bungalow.

"If a valid objection is received it will be referred to the next planning meeting. If not, it will be dealt with by delegated powers."