PLANS to demolish Darlington College of Technology and build almost 150 new houses on the site were approved by councillors on Wednesday.

The move marks the first stage of a multi-million pound college plan in the town.

The college plans to move from its present Cleveland Avenue site and build a new £27m learning complex.

Its preferred site is the Torrington's factory in Yarm Road, although college officials said they were keeping an open mind on the move and looking at other areas of town.

Councillors on the borough council planning committee approved outline proposals to build on the Cleveland Avenue site, despite a 910-signature petition from Darlington residents objecting to the plans.

The petition, put together by the town's Liberal Democrats, objects to the college move on the grounds that it would result in traffic problems in Yarm Road and the loss of a valuable asset to the Cleveland Avenue area of town.

Objectors to the move were stopped from speaking on Wednesday after councillors said the meeting was just to discuss the future of the Cleveland Avenue site, not the college move.

But Coun Sheila Brown said: "It is a shame to demolish the whole thing because part of the college is the original girls' high school in Darlington and it is rather a nice building.

"I also think that with more than 130 houses on the site, there will be just as much traffic as there is now."

The college has put in a separate application for a relocation to Yarm Road, even though negotiations were continuing with Torrington's. That application will be discussed by councillors at a later date, when objectors will be able to speak against the move.

College principal Sarah Farley said last week that plans were only being put into the council now, before a deal had been struck, so a business plan could be prepared for funding purposes.

The college hopes to open its "learning park" by August 2005.