ONE of two controversial planning applications to amend a development has been approved by a council.

Darlington Borough Council approved the erection of nine additional homes by Persimmon Homes on the site of the former Darlington College.

This means the total number of houses built on the site will be 123 instead of the 114 that were approved for the site in 2006. Planning officers said the number of houses needed to be increased because there was no demand for the bigger properties previously planned for the site.

Atthe planning committee meeting on Wednesday, councillors also voted to refuse another planning application to build an additional 13 houses on the same site.

Councillor Dorothy Long said the houses were planned too tightly. "It's very cheek-byjowl. The houses are detached, but with how close they are planned it's practically a terrace, " she said.

The 13 houses were refused because of the overbearing impact of one of the new plots onto the gardens of two existing properties.

No one from Persimmon Homes attended the meeting.