PLANS to create a lake and wood have been submitted to a North-East council.

Millionaire former mining magnate Bob Young, of Iveston, near Consett, County Durham, has applied to Derwentside District Council for permission to build a "fairly large lake" and small wood on his land at Townhead Farm.

He also wants to create other land-mounding works and build an access road and bridge from the A692 road on to his land.

"This is certainly a fair-sized works which has been proposed," said principal planning officer at the council, Darren Cuming. "But it is early days as yet. We are just in the process of holding public consultations at this stage."

Mr Young has been involved in two planning disputes with the council in relation to the 12th Century village in the past ten years.

In 1990 he was cleared of charges of corruption involving council officials at Teesside Crown Court. The officials were also acquitted.

Mr Young could not be contacted for comment yesterday and no one was available at his agents, Malcolm Tempest Ltd based in Bedale, North Yorkshire.

The agents have also applied for permission to build six houses at Whitehall Farm for the County Design Group