A BID to build homes for ex-miners and other elderly people on a revived green area of a former pit community may face opposition from villagers.

Parish councillors meet in Pittington, near Durham, tomorrow to discuss plans lodged by the Durham Aged Mine-workers Homes Association (DAMHA).

The registered charity, a classified "social landlord", has applied to Durham City Council for planning permission to build eight two-bedroomed elderly persons' bungalows.

Each would be adapted for use by wheelchair users, and be linked to the city council's warden alarm service.

The proposals include the development of vehicular and pedestrian access to the site, north of Coalford Lane, High Pittington.

But some local people are believed to be concerned over the choice of the proposed site, on what is a restored former pit heap, which is now considered by many as village green land.

Parish clerk Peter McCutcheon said: "Although it is not designated a village green, it is seen as a public open space.

"There were pit heaps there from the old Derry and Buddle Collieries from the late 1800s, but it was cleared up in the 1980s.

"It's now an attractive village centre amenity, effectively a village green in all but name.

"People have wanted to build up there from time to time, but have been refused because it's on a bend."

DAMHA has 1,500 homes around the county, with 1,050 people still on its waiting list.

Director John Humble said the association's application was based on demand for such housing in Pittington, pinpointed by the city council.

"It's like all the work we do, we are guided by the local council over where there is demand and we are responding to that.

"We receive Government grants for all the social housing we put up, and we have to follow local council guidelines.

"It's not up to us to build anywhere we fancy. We have to follow the lead of the local council."

The views of the parish council, agreed at tomorrow's meeting, will be passed on to the city council when it comes to consider the DAMHA application in coming weeks