PLANS to build a care home in a village could be shelved after residents overwhelmingly rejected the idea.

The idea for a care home was first included in Heighington's parish plan more than five years ago, but was not classed as a priority because of how complex the development would be to implement.

When the parish plan was drawn up, more than 70 per cent of respondents said they would favour some kind of facility for the elderly in the village, but now correspondence has shown a more negative response.

Councillor Gerald Lee sent 34 letters to people living on the east side of the village asking if they would agree in principle to the home being built, because he felt they would be affected most by any development.

Twenty people firmly rejected the idea, two were in favour and 12 did not respond.

Coun Lee said the nearest care homes were in Darlington and Newton Aycliffe, requiring relatives to get up to two buses in order to visit.

"A facility in the village would obviously mean that people who have lived here all of their life could stay here into their old age with people who know and care for them.

"On the other hand, I, like most people, would vehemently contend any kind of development in the village. We want to keep it the way it is.

"Maybe that would be different for a facility for the town's older people, but this is not something I would like to split our community over."