CONTROVERSIAL plans for a housing development in a village have been criticised by council planners.

The development of 26 homes on the site of the former Durham City Transport depot, in Moor Road, Melsonby, near Richmond, would be out of place, say the officers.

A planning application for a combination of two, three and four-bedroomed houses and bungalows on the site has been submitted to Richmondshire District Council.

About six of the homes would be low-cost affordable properties.

The site would be landscaped to include a children's play area, woodland, shrubs and hedges.

Applicant Durham City Transport Ltd claims the development would enhance the village.

The firm says the complex would benefit local services and promote social inclusiveness and has offered to contribute towards a new community hall in the village.

However, ten residents living near the site have written to object.

They say the complex would create extra traffic, is outside the village limits and would damage the character of the area.

Graham and Gail Smith, from Jagger Lane, said: "We are concerned at the environmental impact this development may have.

"The site is no longer required as a depot for the transport company so why can it not be turned back into agricultural land as it was originally?"

Several members of Melsonby Parish Council have no objections but others have raised concerns.

District council planning officer Brian Hodges is recommending the application is rejected.

He said in a report to councillors: "Planning policy at national, strategic and local levels would preclude this development as unsustainable and contrary to policy objectives to locate new housing development in existing settlements, preferably on brownfield sites in urban areas.

"Other similar cases at Harmby and Patrick Brompton have been recently rejected on these policy grounds and this proposal is no different.

"The introduction of a suburban style of residential development in this location, which is detached from the village of Melsonby, would detract from the character and qualities of the countryside and would appear entirely incongruous in this setting."

The development will be discussed by councillors at a planning meeting on Tuesday next week.