HUNDREDS of people have signed a petition objecting to plans to demolish Victorian features in Darlington's High Row.

The town's Civic Trust collected more than 1,000 signatures from town centre shoppers on Saturday.

The trust and Darlington's Conservative group are opposing the borough council's plans to remove balustrades and steps as part of a £6.5m pedestrianisation plan.

Trust secretary Jenny Leeming said Saturday was only the start of a campaign against the proposals.

"We are pleased with the number of signatures we got," she said. "But this is just the beginning.

"The original steps, retaining walls, and balustrades in High Row are over 100 years old.

"The borough council plans to remove all these features and replace them with a modern flight of steps, incorporating ramps and a water feature.

"Darlington Civic Trust agrees that there is much room for improvement on High Row but wishes to see these Victorian features incorporated in any new design, which should also retain the existing three levels between the shops and the covered market."

A report by John Buxton, the borough council's director of development and environment, to be presented to the authority's cabinet tomorrow, claims that the new design would re-capture some of the simplicity High Row had before 1901, when the features were installed. He said: "By opening up the space through a simple set of steps it allows for greater movement around the town centre and more accessible, usable space for everyone.

"The levels were not well executed in 1901 and are now beginning to look untidy."

More than 340 people filled in a questionnaire about the pedestrianisation scheme as part of a council consultation.

Eighty per cent agreed that the new design and layout for the whole scheme was good and 13 per cent disagreed.

But Conservative councillor Charles Johnson said the number surveyed was too small.

"For something which is going to last for 100 years I would have thought the council should have got a better feel for public opinion.

"I don't think 300 people is a solid base but I'm getting the feeling that it's being pushed through come hell or high water."

The council still needs full planning permission, conservation area approval and listed building consent for the scheme.