A DEVELOPMENT company is drawing up plans to build 30 new homes on a Hexham car park.

A planning application is being prepared by Newcastle-based property company Adderstone Group for eight new town houses and 22 apartments at land off Maiden's Walk and Wanless lane in Hexham.

The site is currently home to part of the car park at Marks and Spencers - but the developer claim the number of spaces would be retained underneath the new houses.

The homes, which would collectively be known as 'The Mart', would be arranged on a raised platform, with car parking provided on decked levels beneath the platform.

Access would be from Maiden's Walk and Wanless lane.

Adderstone Group claim the development would increase the choice and availability of new homes within Hexham and provide the area with high quality housing close to the town centre.

The company is currently running a public consultation on the proposals, which can be accessed at www.themart-hexham.co.uk.

However, there is already some opposition from residents.

Chris Britton questioned the development's location.

He said: "This is almost certain to be a serious blot on the townscape.

"I wonder how many people would want to live over a public car park, surrounded on two sides by more car parks and two major stores?

"This type of over-development might be okay for a major city, but surely not rural and historic Hexham?

"The short list of supposed benefits are pretty spurious, the worst being the claim that this fully developed public car park is a brownfield site."

Any feedback received will be summarised in the application to Northumberland County Council.