DATED social housing considered to be a “failing community” could be given a contemporary face-lift if planning permission is secured.

Livin have submitted plans to regenerate more than 100 two and three bedroom homes and flats located across five self-contained courtyards in Shildon.

The streets which would benefit from the work include Spruce Court, Aspen Court, Laurel Court, Almond Court and Lilac Court, next to the Jubilee Fields estate.

A statement submitted with the application said the area is amongst the ten per cent most deprived neighbourhoods in the country.

It reads: “The current layout of The Courts is based on mid-20th century planned housing estate Radburn principles of separating cars and pedestrians with ‘back-to-front’ house arrangements.

“This model is now considered unsuccessful for social housing as it results in multiple public spaces that are not overlooked and thought to contribute to anti-social behaviour and crime.

“Having unsuccessfully tried a sales initiative, Livin decided during 2017 to consider The Courts a failing community in pressing need of regeneration to resolve issues of voids, rent arrears, and high turnover.”

Currently 44 properties of the total 144 are void.

The statement continues: “These proposals attempt to eliminate areas of no-man’s land as far as possible by knitting courts together to form private back gardens while retaining overall site connectivity.

“A number of dwellings are reversed to ‘normalise’ relationships with the public realm.

"Other layout improvements include semi-private front gardens and improved external lighting.

“Facelift works include through-colour white render, grey cementitious feature cladding, dark grey windows and front doors.”

Members of the public have until Tuesday, October 8, to comment on the application.

To view the application online visit publicaccess.durham.gov.uk/online-applications/ and search for reference DM/19/02755/FPA