PEOPLE have launched a campaign to prevent four people with learning disabilities moving into their Darlington street.

Pine Grove Residents' Association, in the Carmel Road area of the town, has written to Darlington Borough Council objecting to plans to house tenants under the supervision of social services.

The council's Social Services department is applying for a certificate of lawfulness from the planning committee to allow four tenants with learning disabilities to live in a house in Pine Grove.

Planning officials have received a letter from David Harris, of the residents' association, which says: "The owners' concern arises from the way in which the Darlington Learning Disability Service has gone about arranging for the housing of a disparate group of adults without any reference to those house owners - an example of care in the community and not caring about an existing community."

Mr Harris told The Northern Echo last night: "I am not prepared to make any comment about the matter."

A spokesman for the local authority said: "Since Darlington Borough Council took over responsibility for social services, we have tried to de-institutionalise people who do not need to be part of an institution. These people just have learning difficulties. There is nothing wrong with them. Where we can we will have people living as normal a life in as normal circumstances as possible. They are not violent or anything remotely like that."

Residents also submitted a 21-signature petition to the council objecting to the plan. The council will make a decision at its planning committee meeting on September 4.