Darlington is poised to become the first town in the region to provide single young mums with assisted accommodation.

Tees Valley Housing Group (TVHG) and Darlington Borough Council have plans to demolish Gladstone Hall, a former residential nursing home in Gladstone Street, and transform part of the site into a supported young mother's unit.

With six rented self contained two-bedroomed flats for 16-25 year-olds, the unit will also house a communal lounge, laundry, shower room and guest room along with a safe shared garden for small children. An office will also be provided for Surestart staff, teenage pregnancy workers and other staff while quarters will also accommodate a live-in qualified social care worker.

Also planned for the site, which will be funded and managed by TVGH, is a separate development of nine two-, three- and four-bedroomed houses, one of which will be fully wheelchair accessible.

A first of its kind in the North East, the unit was unveiled to the public on Wednesday at the social services department in Central House.

It is expected to be operating by next September in line with new government guidelines pressing local authorities to place all under 18 mothers who cannot live with their family or partner into supervised independent housing with support by 2003.

Coun Bill Dixon, Darlington council's cabinet member for social services said: "Unless we do something constructive to break the teenage pregnancy cycle, then it will continue and the problems will increase.

"In partnership with Tees Valley Housing Group and Surestart we have come up with an innovative scheme for the former site of Gladstone Hall which provides both care and protection paired with education to alter the life chances of children born to young mums."

Three years ago Darlington was among the worst areas in the country with a reported 63 out of every 1,000 15-17-year-olds pregnant. Last year that figure had dropped to 54.

Donna Thorne, Darlington Primary Care Trust teenage pregnancy co-ordinator, said: "Support packages provided by the unit will enable young mums to go back to education or work and also teach them how to be a good mum.

"After two years we would expect the mums to be confident to move on to a more independent lifestyle."

Billy Barnett, supported housing co-ordinator for TVGH, added: "The unit will promote independent living skills, parenting skills, health promotion and offer advice on education, training and employment.

"Darlington is ahead of the game so far and already the scheme is being held up as a national model of good practice."