More than 80 new homes are to be built by Keepmoat Homes in Darlington.

Plans have been approved for the £12 million scheme on McMullen Road in Red Hall. Work is due to start on site in December.

The 81-home project is one of 10 in the country which has been selected for the NHS' Healthy New Towns initiative; with the objective of building health into the design of new and regenerated communities, in order to improve the wellbeing of residents and the wider community.

Key areas to address include; health & wellbeing, connecting communities, smart housing & building, healthy environment and engaged community planning.

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In addition, special measures incorporated in order to meet this standard will include; on plot parking, ground floor layout arranged for wheel chair turning, accessible WC's which are capable of conversion to shower rooms, wide stairways to allow for a chair lift, first floor joists arranged to accommodate through floor lift, master bedroom and bathroom arranged to facilitate hoist, plywood panels within wet rooms to enable grab rails to be fitted, and windows which allow a view from a sitting position.

Ian Prescott, Land and Partnerships Director for Keepmoat Homes said: "We are delighted to have secured planning consent for the this innovative Healthy New Towns project. We will be delivering a brand new house type range which allows for easy adaption and alteration as resident needs change over time. Our aim is to leave a positive and lasting legacy in the neighbourhood and set a new bench mark for volume house builder design."

The first of the 81 new homes is scheduled to be completed in summer 2018.

(LM)