PLANS for the final phase of a major project to create a new community at West Park, in Darlington, have been unveiled.

The former industrial site on the outskirts of town is in the process of a ten-year regeneration programme, and developers have already built homes, a hospital, park, school and supermarket.

The latest stage of the revamp - which aims to create an entirely self-contained community - will see 282 homes built across a 16-acre site off the A68 West Auckland Road.

Developers Bussey and Armstrong have unveiled plans for the streets and cul-de-sacs which make up the final residential phase of the West Park project.

Outline planning permission was granted by Darlington Borough Council in 2001, but the firm plans to apply for full approval next week.

Anthony Cooper, director of Bussey and Armstrong Projects, said building work to complete the rest of the project would take place over the next few years.

"There are probably over seven or eight years to go," he said.

"Outline planning permission has already been given, but we are now ready to go ahead."

The bulk of the homes will be family houses with two, three or four bedrooms, but an apartment block with about 50 flats is to be built at the gateway to West Park, next to the main road.

"The apartment block will be the first thing you will see when you come into Darlington - it is designed to make a statement," said Mr Cooper.

"We can still extend the village with a care home, a surgery and a few other things, but this is the last major phase of West Park."

Councillor Barrie Armstrong, Darlington Borough Council ward member, said: "As far as I'm able to see, the West Park project is coming together quite nicely.

"You can never judge a job until it's finished, but from everything I have seen so far, it seems to be shaping up.

"It's an ambitious project with a ten-year life span, and it seems on course to develop into a very important part of Darlington."

The plans will be available to view at the Town Hall, Feethams, Darlington, from next week.