Collaboration between Darlington Borough Council, Esh Property Services, Coast & Country Housing, livin and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) has seen plans prepared and a start made on the site of the former Eastbourne School in the centre of Darlington.

The £7m scheme is benefitting from over £1.2m investment from the HCA.

At the event held to mark the start of work, Councillor Veronica Copeland, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Housing, praised all parties involved. She said: "I am delighted to be launching work on this site; team working and partnerships have been hallmarks of the efforts made by all parties to arrive at this point in such a relatively very short period of time.

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"This is a really important development for Darlington which will breathe life back into this large site – some 4.4 hectares – which is so close to the town centre."

76 new affordable homes, 60 for rent and 16 for sale, will be built on the site of the redundant school. 44 of the two- and three-bedroom properties will available through Coast & Country Housing; 27 for rental and 17 for shared ownership, while 16 will be available for rental through living and 16 will be available for purchase through Dunelm Homes.

Neil Cawson, Senior Area Manager from the Homes and Communities Agency, said: "It is great to see these 76 homes starting to be built in such a great location. This is a really impressive example of partnership working that has been supported by our investment of just over £1 million.

"The different types of homes that Esh Property Services is building means that there will be homes to suit local people and by offering a choice of buying or renting the homes it means that they are available to everyone."

(CD/JP)