FAMILIES can rest easy that vulnerable youngsters will not be hanging out with monkeys and elephants after an absurd sounding proposal to build a nightclub and zoo at a secure unit turned out to be an embarrassing council gaffe.

Last night Durham County Council apologised for the "serious error of judgement" after the mistake was condemned as "absolutely disgraceful".

People would have been forgiven for thinking the children would have had to march into class two-by-two when the application was spotted on Durham County Council’s planning portal last week.

According to the dummy document, the agent, Anon Amouse, had plans to turn the Aycliffe Secure Centre, in Newton Aycliffe, from a home for some of the county’s most vulnerable young people into a site for exotic animals and where clubbers could dance the night away.

The plans could not be any further from what the secure unit currently provides - specialist secure accommodation for young people aged between 11 and 17, many with complex problems who need support to turn their lives around before returning to the community.

However, that was not the idea given to concerned residents who said the ‘test’ application was “insensitive”.

Jeff Robinson, who takes a keen interest in the council’s planning applications, stumbled across it on April 28.

He said: “Though publicly displayed, this appears to be a dummy application as it is entitled ‘TEST’ and the ‘Further Information’ indicates an applicant name AN Other and agent name Anon Amouse.

“However the application does seem to have a valid style reference, names the case officer as Sue Pyrke who appears to be a Durham County Council employee and states and agent address as Broch House, 1A Constantine Road, North Bitchburn, Crook. DL15 8AG.

“My concern is that it appears to be in very poor taste and reinforces unhelpful stereotypes that DCC’s own secure unit for young people is publicly described as a ‘Nighclub (sic) and associated zoo’.”

Alderman councillor for the town, Bill Blenkinsop, said: “It’s absolutely disgraceful that the council would even think about making up an application like that.

“It’s not on as far as I’m concerned – they are totally out of order.”

Stuart Timmiss, head of planning and assets at Durham County Council, said: “This was a serious error of judgement and whilst it’s clear it was a test post which was never designed for the public domain, we would like to apologise that it happened at all.

“We will thoroughly review the governance arrangements around access to the planning portal and ensure professional standards are met.”

The centre refused to comment.