BUILDING experts have teamed up in the same Darlington headquarters as their fire service colleagues.

Officers from Darlington Borough Council are now based at St Cuthbert's Way fire station.

Stuart Muckle, the council's building control manager, said: "Now we are only on the other side of a wall from the local fire safety section. We still write to each other, but we don't have to put the letters in the post."

The two sections find their work dovetails in a number of ways and it was through a chance conversation with the station commander, assistant divisional officer Les Greenwood, that the council learned there was office space to rent.

He said: "Our community fire safety department was in there, but moved up to headquarters leaving those offices free. It is ideal when we have any problems with fire or building regulations because we only have to walk down the corridor."