PLANS for a new road to serve a housing development have won backing despite villagers' fears they could put children at risk.

Durham County Council's highways committee has approved plans to stop up an old back lane at Heugh Edge, Sacriston.

It will be turned into a footpath and an access road will be built to serve the new estate planned for land west of the B6532 at Mount Pleasant.

More than 20 residents wrote letters of objection and sent a petition against the lane closure. Sacriston Parish Council also objected.

They fear residents of the new development will use an existing lane at the back of Heugh Edge rather than the new road, causing a danger to youngsters.

They are also concerned the new junction will be close to a bend and traffic leaving the estate will face problems because of the speed of traffic on the main road.

Police raised no objection but warned the new access road will be closer to the brow of the hill, reducing the time drivers have to decide whether to pull out of the junction.

However the county council's director of environmental and technical services Chris Tunstall told the committee he thought it 'unlikely' that drivers would not use the new junction.

The committee approved the order but also agreed to ask the developers to design the estate roads to ensure that drivers are not attracted to use the back lane.