PEACE talks between developers and conservation groups over a proposed housing scheme in Spennymoor have so far failed.

Eight months ago, Sedgefield Borough Council granted planning permission for Barratts to build 100 homes to the south of a vast proposed housing scheme at Whitworth Park.

As the area is designated as a County Wildlife Site (CWS), and rich in flora and fauna, councillors made a condition that Barratts create a nature strategy which has to be approved before building can start.

In a bid to keep the development on track, as it is seen as key to the town's regeneration, the council has attempted to broker a compromise between the various groups.

Barratts have carried out ecological surveys to identify the most important nature areas, and revised its planning scheme based on its results.

The new scheme reduces the area to be built on, increasing the retained area, and land would be set aside to form new areas of grassland.

But the three leading environmental consultants - English Nature, Durham Wildlife Trust and Durham County Council - remain defiant in their objections to the plans.

In an update report that goes before the council's development control committee on Friday, each set out their concerns.

An English Nature spokesperson said: "These revisions represent only minor modifications to the previous layout and the development will still result in the loss of an important nature conservation site."

Durham Wildlife Trust (DWT) said: "DWT will continue to object to any development on the site that leads to the destruction of all or part of the CWS."

Experts from the county council say that the current proposal will destroy about half of the CWS and future housing on site will destroy another quarter.

They said: "Total destruction will amount to roughly three quarters of the species-rich grassland. This is irreversible destruction of an important biodiversity resource in Sedgefield, and in Durham as a whole."

Barratts said it will continue to examine the site and create a master plan which will be presented in public in an attempt to build the homes and satisfy conservationists.