PLANNERS will decide next week if proposals for 100 homes should be approved.

Bett Homes North-East wants to develop land south of Lime Street, in South Moor, Stanley.

It has submitted a planning application to Derwentside District Council and the matter is to be debated at a meeting on Thursday.

The scheme would offer three and four-bedroomed, detached and semi-detached houses.

Bett Homes wants to upgrade a footpath near the site and contribute to improve recreational facilities in Memorial Park.

Nearby residents have been consulted and four letters of objection have been received.

Concerns are being raised about the effect on wildlife because the land is a greenfield site. Opponents of the scheme say there are plenty of brownfield sites available.

People fear the development will increase the amount of traffic congestion and noise pollution from cars.

They are also worried about the impact dust from the building work will have on their quality of life.

Area planning officer Shaun Wells has prepared a report for the committee in which he advises members to approve the proposal.

He said objections received in regard to noise were not considered to be significant enough to severely affect neighbours.

Mr Wells said concerns raised about the development invading the privacy of existing residents carried little weight because a boundary exists that prevents people looking into the houses and gardens of others.

He said: "The layout as proposed and the design is considered to be appropriate within the locality and, as such, no impact upon the amenities of existing and future occupiers would result. It is considered that objections as received carry no significant material weight, and clearly this is an important site in the general regeneration of the Stanley area.

"The proposals as submitted are considered to be in general accordance with national and local planning policy and the application is therefore considered to be acceptable."

The meeting is being held in the Civic Centre, Consett, at 2pm.