Plans for 71 new homes in a village have been approved.

Derwentside district councillors gave permission for the homes to be built on land at Whitehouse Farm, Burnhope, near Lanchester, County Durham.

The authority received three letters of objection from nearby residents who complained about the potential loss of view.

One letter said that the development of 71 dwellings would spoil the "friendly atmosphere" in the small village.

Another pointed out that the council was demolishing homes on nearby Greenwood Avenue, and suggested the new ones be built in their place.

But councillors voted to give permission to Durham Estates Ltd to build the homes after hearing that outline permission for a similar scheme on the site was granted three years ago.

There were no objections from Durham County Council highway officers.

The new estate will add to the on-going trend of new detached and semi-detached houses being built in the district with more than 3,000 already built in the past 15 years.

Several hundred more have been given permission in the last six months.

Meanwhile, the council is considering extending a demolition programme of council homes because of difficulties in letting the properties.