DEVELOPERS hope to build almost 300 houses in two projects in a Teesside town.

Planning officials at Stockton Borough Council are recommending that plans for 220 homes in the town be approved.

But they say an application for 56 houses in Stillington village should be refused.

Aker Kvaerner Business Partner Ltd has submitted an outline planning application to build the 220 homes on its engineering site, next to the A66, close to Bowesfield Lane.

A large part of the site and premises are vacant or unused while Kvaerner seeks to relocate to another site in the Stockton area.

The proposal is to clear and develop the site in two phases, and to build a variety of homes, including social housing.

Planning officials have written in their report: "Overall, the nature and scale of the development is acceptable, and it is considered that the site could satisfactorily accommodate the residential proposal without any undue impact on the amenity of any adjacent neighbours and does not conflict with policies in the development plan."

However, the application to build 56 homes on land north of Lowson Street, in Stillington village, could be turned down.

Officers fear the site would not provide sufficient access, and said they believed the design compromised the level of "privacy, amenity and daylight" for individual homes.

Full planning permission is being sought by Wimpey for the development of the 1.49-hectare site, comprising three-storey town houses and two-storey detached houses.

It is supported in principle by Stillington Parish Council and the Environmental Health unit, with conditions, and outline planning permission for 43 homes was agreed last year.

However, planning officers believe the plans, as they stand, do not meet the requirements and it is recommended for refusal.