VILLAGERS have hailed a victory for common sense, after a decision on a £7m housing scheme was postponed.

Durham County Council’s central and east Durham area planning committee voted to defer Hellens Group’s bid to build 47 new homes on The Limes estate, in Coxhoe, at a meeting at County Hall, Durham, today.

Councillor Mac Williams said the scheme should be deferred pending the completion of Coxhoe’s Parish Plan 2, expected later this year.

The Plan would include residents’ priorities for new housing, the meeting heard.

Concerns were also raised over the scheme’s impact on local roads and its lack of affordable housing.

Planning officials had recommended the plans be approved; but, on a majority, councillors voted to defer.

Afterwards, parish councillor Keith Pounder said: "Common sense has prevailed. Anything else would have been a smack in the face and shown contempt for the residents of Coxhoe."

John Hepplewhite, chairman of Coxhoe Community Partnership, said: "It’s a message to the planners to listen to the community, not those who have commercial interests."

The housing scheme, for the former Steetley Lime Works site, represents phase two of a major residential development. Planning permission for 80 homes was granted in 2009.

No date has yet been set for the issue to be debated again.

Gavin Cordwell-Smith, chief executive of the Hellens Group, attended today's meeting but afterwards declined to say what the firm would do next.