PLANS to demolish a college and build nearly 150 homes on the site were approved by councillors yesterday.

Darlington College of Technology aims to move from its Cleveland Avenue site and build a £27m complex.

Its preferred site is the Torrington's factory, in Yarm Road, although college officials said they were "keeping an open mind" on the move and looking at other areas of town.

The borough council's planning committee yesterday approved outline proposals to build on the Cleveland Avenue site - despite a 910-signature petition from residents objecting to the plans.

The petition, put together by the town's Liberal Democrats, objects to the college move on the grounds that it would result in traffic problems in Yarm Road and the loss of a valuable asset in the Cleveland Avenue area.

Objectors were stopped from speaking yesterday after councillors said that the meeting was to discuss the future of the Cleveland Avenue site, not the college move.

But Councillor Sheila Brown said: "It is a shame to demolish the whole thing, because part of the college is the original Girls High School in Darlington and it is rather a nice building.

"I also think that, with more than 130 houses on the site, there will be just as much traffic as there is now."

The college has put in a separate application for a move to Yarm Road, even though negotiations are ongoing with Torringtons bosses. That application will be discussed by councillors later, when objectors will have the chance to speak.

College principal Sarah Farley said last week that plans were only being put to the council now, before a deal had been struck, so that a business plan could be prepared for funding purposes.

The college hopes to open its "learning park" by August 2005.