AROUND 400 letters are due to be submitted in protest against plans to turn a pub into housing for young people at risk of becoming homeless.

Durham Action on Single Housing [DASH] wants to convert the Last Orders, which is part of the Sunderland Road Estate in Gilesgate Moor, Durham, into seven one-bedroom flats and offices.

Local residents are opposed to the scheme and are planning to deliver around 400 letters of objection to Durham County Council on Monday, October 24.

They are concerned the proposal will lead to an increase in antisocial behaviour.

Diane Kirby, 51, who has lived on the estate since she was a child, said: “We’ve got a really high percentage of residents who are not happy with it.

“We have an issue with antisocial behaviour. There are other DASH properties and antisocial behaviour has gone up. It’s not all from the DASH properties but we don’t want more adding to it because it’s getting worse.

“A lot of people have lived on the estate for a long time and in the last six years it has got worse.”

The pub has been on the market since January 2014 but no-one has come forward to buy it.

DASH wants to use the offices and meeting room, while the flats would be let out to young people aged between 18 and 24 who need stable accommodation to help them carry out training or education.

The scheme would be partially funded through a programme to create shared accommodation with affordable rents for young people who are homeless or at risk or becoming so.

The application says: “DASH considers that this innovative project will provide a valuable ‘step on the ladder’ for young people whose housing is at risk, to enable them to complete their training or courses successfully, and this is turn will help them obtain work and live independently within the community.”

Around 50 residents have already objected to the proposals via the council’s planning portal while almost 300 people have also signed an online petition against the development.

People have until Tuesday, October 25 to submit comments on the application, which can be viewed at www.durham.gov.uk.