A SIX-YEAR planning wrangle which landed Darlington Borough Council a £100,000 High Court bill appears to have come to an end.

A report received by the council from the Government's Planning Inspectorate has agreed that neither of two greenfield sites on the edge of town should be developed.

Residents and developers became embroiled in a bitter dispute with the council over land in Whinfield, at Muscar House Farm and another site at Elm Tree Farm.

The council wanted development on Muscar House Farm, which it owned, rather than Elm Tree House which was privately owned.

Developers hoping to build on the latter site launched the costly 1998 High Court battle which resulted in forced changes to the Darlington Local Plan and fresh consultation with residents over the future of the land.

The rethink also took into account new Government planning guidance directing councils to develop previously-used brownfield sites, rather than greenfield areas.

Those houses which were planned for the Muscar House Farm site would have helped the council to reach its structure plan target for the number of new houses to be built by 2006. But now it believes these homes can be built elsewhere on brownfield sites, and neither Elm Tree Farm nor Muscar House Farm will be developed.

Coun David Lyonette, cabinet member for economic regeneration, said: "I am pleased that our decision has been supported by the Planning Inspectorate.

"Balancing the need to build new homes with the concerns of existing local residents, protecting the environment and Government planning rules is never easy, but I believe our decision achieves that balance."

Coun Tony Richmond, leader of the Conservative group on the Labour-run council, said he was shocked by Coun Lyonette's claim that the decision had been made by the authority.

He said: "All along, they were trying to develop the greenfield site, Muscar House, and they were forced to not develop it and now here they are trying to claim that the Planning Inspectorate is agreeing with them."

But he added: "It's very good news for the residents and it's good news for the greenbelt.