CONTROVERSIAL plans for a housing estate and industrial park in a rural village could be given the go-ahead next week.

An application by Yuill Homes to build 106 houses on a former sawmills site, in Wolsingham, goes before Wear Valley District Council's development control committee on Thursday.

As well as the homes, the scheme would see existing buildings demolished, the construction of a road to the Weardale Railway, and the development of a business park.

But residents living nearby say the development is too big for a village of Wolsingham's size, and have been protesting against the plans since they were first mooted last year.

Ward Terrace, Durham Road and Attwood Terrace are the three streets nearest to the earmarked site and one of the objectors is Richard Wigham, who lives in Ward Terrace and insists the village does not need such a large development.

"I don't want it," he said. "A hundred houses is too big for a little village like Wolsingham.

"Maybe it could grow in time, but they've just gone straight in with 100 houses.

"It's going to spoil the character of Wolsingham."

He also claims that residents have not been kept up to date and that the homes are being built on a greenfield site.

An original proposal for 117 homes was reduced to 106 after dialogue with the campaigners, who organised public meetings and a postal protest which gathered more than 600 letters.

The revised plans have been recommended for approval by council officers, but the final say will be made at the meeting.

Robert Hope, director of regeneration for the district council, said that the council was behind the plans despite the residents' outcry.

He said: "Clearly there has been a very strong public reaction to the proposed development, in spite of the fact that the site has been allocated for a mixed-use development since the adoption of the Wear Valley District Local Plan.

"The level of concern about the proposed development is significant and has been considered carefully.

"On balance, the benefits of the proposal are assessed to be sufficient to justify approval of the development."

The meeting takes place at the Council Chamber, Civic Centre, Crook, at 6pm on Thursday.