ROAD safety concerns threaten to delay the redevelopment of a colliery.

A total of 300 homes are due to be built on the former Silverdale Colliery site.

But a planning application submitted to Newcastle Borough Council detailing the layout of the homes has been withdrawn after being recommended for refusal.

Staffordshire County Council highways officers objected to the scheme, because the main road proposed to run through the site was not designed to achieve a maximum speed limit of 20mph.

The plan was to be discussed by the borough planning committee tomorrow.

But negotiations are now taking place between the joint applicants, David Wilson Homes and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), and council officers, in the hope problems can be overcome ahead of next month's planning meeting.

A report to the committee states: "The proposals accord with the development plan and are acceptable in many respects.

"However, the failure to design the road layout to achieve maximum speed limits of 20mph is unacceptable and will result in highway safety issues.

"The main road should be designed to allow a maximum speed of 20mph, by restricting forward visibility and introducing speed control measures."

Officers also raise concerns over the lack of cycle paths in the application and the distance between some parking spaces and the homes they serve.

Andrew Taylor, David Wilson Homes north-west planning director, said the borough council had written the committee agenda while aware of the county council's objection, but had anticipated issues being resolved prior to the meeting.

He said: "Unfortunately, this has not been possible, due to the time scale. A request has been made to withdraw the plan, so it can be presented to the March meeting, where approval is anticipated."

Outline permission for the £13.6 million redevelopment was granted in 2007, but the applicants have since submitted a number of applications to vary conditions, which has led to delays.

Two of these applications concerned a condition requiring the building of a footbridge over a disused railway line.

English Partnerships, the predecessor of the HCA, wanted this condition removed after failing to come to an agreement with Network Rail, the landowner.

But the borough council said the bridge was necessary to provide a link with Silverdale and the applicant backed down.

When the scheme finally does go ahead it will also include 75 affordable homes.