AN OLD Darlington building could get a new lease of life under plans to turn it into luxury homes.

Faverdale Hall and the surrounding buildings could be turned into flats and houses if the borough council approves the plan. The developers want to demolish some of the more recent additions to the hall, said to be of little architectural value, and keep the old part remaining intact. The front of the hall would be converted into two apartments and the stable block would be converted into three houses.

There is also an application for outline planning permission for 18 homes. Leftbank Developments, of Newcastle, is carrying out the refurbishment but no-one from the company wished to comment. Members of the planning committee will decide whether to approve the application in the coming weeks.

Faverdale Hall, buried behind the industrial estate, belonged to the Stowell family in Darlington from 1770 until 1897, when it was sold to keen foxhunter Charles Hubert Backhouse. He rebuilt the hall, adding two wings to the house, and built the large stables, complete with a tower.

Faverdale Hall was sold to the North Eastern Railway in 1913 and by 1946 it was turned into a railway training school. It was bought by the council in 1963 and was looked after by Faverdale Training and Adventure until the present day.