Hart house plans halted by possible Anglo Saxon remains

The site of the proposed house sits between the A179 and the road leading to The Fens

The discovery of a possible Anglo Saxon burial site has halted plans to build a new home.

At least six graves, potentially of "national and international importance", were found on land at The Fens in Hart Village, County Durham.

Planning officers warned proposed work could cause "substantial harm" and a loss of archaeology to the area.

Hartlepool Borough Council refused planning permission after hearing from experts.

Robin Daniels, from advisors Tees Archaeology, told the authority's planning committee only a "very small" area of the site had been looked at.

He said "substantial" circumstantial evidence had led his team to believe the uncovered remains were Anglo-Saxon.

'No tampering'

Mr Daniels told councillors a cemetery from the same period with "something like 350" human remains had been found at the neighbouring Manor Park housing development, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

If the site of the new home housed something similar "then I would certainly advise refusal purely on the grounds of national interest", he said.

Speaking on behalf of the applicant, planning agent Mike Dickinson argued the development should be approved with a scheme for archaeology investigation previously agreed.

"Our client is not averse to a condition being applied, should planning be approved, to a further investigation being carried out before any work of construction occurs on the site," he said.

But planning committee member Moss Boddy said "we should not be tampering with this land" until the significance of any remains was established.