NEIGHBOURS to a proposed apartment block in a conservation area cheered a decision by councillors to refuse the application.

Members of Darlington Borough Council's planning committee overturned their own officer's recommendation to allow the application to build eight homes in Pendower Street.

The decision had been due in April but was deferred for the committee to visit the site last week.

Committee member Stella Robson, who used to live in the area of Northgate, proposed the panel to reject the application.

She said it should be refused because of over-intensification as well as traffic issues and impact on the conservation area.

Coun Robson added: "To build intensely on a difficult site like this in a cul-de-sac and right up against the conservation area is not an appropriate development.

"An appropriate development would be two houses, which I am sure the residents would look favourably on - not eight flats."

Her motion to refuse the application was unanimously backed by the rest of the committee.

Councillor David Lyonette said: "It is out of place for many reasons and I was surprised by the officers report."

The applicant, Mr T Wilks, wanted to build seven one-bedroomed apartments and a studio flat on the land.

He said: "There are a number of flats being built around the country, which are reasonably small one-bedroomed units.

"The design is very clever to maximise the amount of space. They are aimed at the first-time buyers' market and are meant to be very cheap."

His architect John Taylor, from Crook, said the initial application was withdrawn to address previous planning officers concerns.

Although planning officers had recommended approval, 29 residents or groups had objected to the plans. They included ward councillor Dorothy Long, Friends of Northgate Conservation Area and Westbrook Residents Association.

Coun Long said: "I have been a councillor for more than 30 years. This site has been a problem for all this time. The garages have been an eye sore and everyone would welcome a redevelopment.

"But this seems a greedy over-development to maximise profit."

Objectors had listed several reasons to refuse the application, including parking, flooding, appearance in the conservation area, the number of flats in an over-populated areas and impact of building work.

Rachel Newsome, who lives on Pendower Street, said the entire street had objected.

She added: "There is no massive one reason why this should not go ahead but there are many, many, many lesser reasons that amount to one massive reason."