ANGRY protesters have criticised councillors over proposals to build two blocks of flats in a quiet Teesside street.

Eaglescliffe residents accused members of Stockton Borough Council's planning committee of being unprepared and said they had failed to look properly on a site visit yesterday.

Members of the planning team were greeted by residents waving banners when they arrived at The Avenue, close to Preston Park, where McCarthy and Stone wants to build the 42 luxury apartments.

Residents said the area was not a brownfield site, and therefore unsuitable for the new development. They feared the plans would create extra traffic on the private, unadopted road, which already gets busy with traffic to Teesside High School.

They accused the council of removing their democratic right by refusing to allow a representative of Eaglescliffe Preservation Action Group (EPAG) to join a tour of the site, leaving everyone standing outside.

Campaigner Vicky Thompson, whose house is in Ashville Avenue, directly behind the site, said: "We took legal advice and were told that for the sake of our democratic rights, we could have an independent observer go along on the site visit.

"But the council said the owners of the property had said 'no', so we were not allowed. We should have had our democratic rights upheld.

"The whole thing has been handled badly. There have been 86 letters of objection, a petition, and a public meeting with more than 200 people.

"The extent of feeling is very strong, yet they have come here today without a megaphone to make themselves heard. It's a lack of planning."

The council's chairman of planning, Councillor Dick Cains, faced repeated questions from residents who accused members of not looking at the site properly

He assured residents the issue would be given the required attention.

All issues, including traffic, parking and the old Stockton to Darlington railway line, which runs close by, would be considered, he said.

But yesterday he said he "was not here to debate this".

Asked why no one from the council was making written notes on the visit, he said the planning department consisted of experts and they would recall it all from memory.

Geraldine Burnett, of nearby Clarence Road, said: "I don't see why you couldn't have taken just one of us in with you to observe. I think you are trying to hide something."

A decision is expected to be made on the planning application at the committee meeting at 1.30pm today, at Stockton Central Library, Church Road.