PARISH councillors who led protests against controversial development plans in Middleton St George's conservation area say continued development could ruin the area.

In the latest scheme, nine homes will be built and the former Ropner Convalescent Home converted into eight apartments in a village which has had population growth of 40 per cent in three years.

Parish councillors now say the plans, inside the Middleton One Row conservation area, mean developers have a precedent to build across the borough, regardless of conservation status.

Darlington Borough Council's planning applications committee approved the Clarion Homes' development at the home on Middleton Lane and another site, despite a 96 letters of objection, arguing that it was able to save a considerable amount of open space between the new homes and Middleton Lane because of the conservation site status.

Objectors, including the parish council, argued the new buildings would affect the setting of St Laurence's Church, a grade II-listed building, and that the village had no need for such housing.

Parish and borough councillor Doris Jones described the decision as "catastrophic".

"It really leaves the door open for anybody to come into Darlington and say they want to build regardless of whether it's a conservation area," she said.