Dilapidated, boarded-up Victorian farmhouses that are attracting vandals in Middlesbrough could be transformed into new homes.

A developer has submitted plans to Middlesbrough Council to convert a 19th-century farmhouse and buildings into seven homes and demolish agricultural sheds to make way for five new properties.

The original buildings were initially constructed as stables for Nunthorpe Hall before gradually being switched to more general farm use.

They were owned by Middlesbrough Council but have been standing empty for around six years.

Shaw Developments, the company driving the scheme, has agreed to buy the buildings from the local authority and develop the site.

Talks have been ongoing with the council for the past six years about the plans for the site that sits in the Nunthorpe and Poole Conservation Area.

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A report submitted alongside the planning application states: “All buildings have fallen into disrepair and are deteriorating rapidly.

"They are all now considered to be at significant risk of loss.

"In addition, the farm buildings have been subject to vandalism, theft of materials, an arson attempt and have attracted many incidents of anti-social behaviour.”

In 2013, the council commissioned the North of England Civic Trust to evaluate redevelopment options at Nunthorpe Hall Farm.

It concluded that the best way to protect the buildings was to convert them into homes.

The trust found the agricultural sheds were not suitable for conversion and should be knocked down.

There is also a walled garden at the site but that won’t be developed.

At the new site, there will be three homes with three bedrooms, seven four-bedroom houses and two five-bedroom properties.

All of the homes will have gardens too. There are plans for a management company to be set up, with ownership shared by the site’s residents.

The developer will have to implement mitigation measures as there is evidence of bats roosting in the farm buildings.

These include a replacement habitat above one of the proposed garages and new bat boxes.

It is also recommended that temporary and permanent owl boxes are installed.

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