APPEALS to councillors to block a controversial house building scheme in Darlington's West End went unheeded yesterday.

A small group of residents from the Harewood Hill area of the town attended Darlington Borough Council's planning applications committee to state their opposition.

Anthony Jagger, who acted as a spokesman for the group, outlined their objections to plans to build the house on land adjacent to their homes and Greenmount Road.

He told councillors that the residents feared that access to the site, and provision for parking, would not be adequate.

Concern was also expressed about the removal of trees on the site, and 13 letters of objection had been submitted to the council.

Under the plans, nine trees are to be removed, with five being replaced.

Despite support from some councillors, led by Councillor Geoff Walker, their efforts to stop the development failed.

Coun Walker pressed for a site visit to assess the impact of the scheme on the area. But his and three colleagues' votes were matched with four in favour of the scheme.

Committee chairman Councillor Frank Robson used his casting vote to defeat the opposition, and a second vote, to agree the plans, was passed.

The committee also approved listed building consent for the plans.