Sir, - I refer to your front page report about Chesterfield in Darlington's Stanhope Road (D&S, Jan 4).

Darlington Building Society has stated that it has consulted widely with local residents regarding the proposed demolition of Chesterfield. No-one from the building society has consulted anyone I know and why then have they ignored the views of those residents who have written to Darlington Borough Council to object to the development? The majority live in Stanhope Road and Langholm Crescent.

The demolition of Chesterfield would be a disgraceful loss to Darlington. Leaving aside the poor design of the proposed replacement building, Darlington Borough Council's decision on whether to grant approval for the demolition rests on one question - has the developer made every effort to retain this building?

Having read the applicant's structural survey, it is clear that only minor structural defects exist within one corner of the building. The survey itemises major structural alterations needed to convert Chesterfield into 15 flats. Surely fewer flats could be created without such costly alterations?

Government planning policy guidance (PPG 15) states that "demolition of buildings which make a positive contribution to the character, or appearance of a conservation area should" not be granted "without clear and convincing evidence that all reasonable efforts have been made to sustain it".

It further states that the Secretary of State "would not expect consent to demolition to be given simply because redevelopment is economically more attractive to the developer than repair and re-use". Darlington Borough Council, English Heritage, CPRE and the people of Darlington agree that Chesterfield is a fine building, which adds invaluable character to the Stanhope Road conservation area.

English Heritage has offered and has the power to assist in seeking the retention and re-use of Chesterfield. It was only consulted in late November 2001 and the developer has not had time to explore this action. Darlington Borough Council has a duty to ensure that government guidance and its own policies have been satisfied. Above all the council should take notice of residents' opinion and refuse this application.

JENNY LEEMING

Chartered landscape architect,

Langholm Crescent,

Darlington.

We need the Arc

Sir - The Arc is a wonderful building in which to celebrate the arts. (D&S, Jan 4). CTC THEATRE's annual Take off festival of professional theatre for children and young people was a great success there last October.

Two thousand young people enjoyed plays specially created for them and 200 professional theatre makers were challenged by 16 fine shows.

Trouble is, such success in the arts costs money, it doesn't necessarily make money. Like the amazing shows at the Riverside festival, which inspired and delighted me and thousands of others over the last ten years, the arts at their best challenge the way we look at the world - not flatter us with light entertainment.

But there is one very good reason why it is in the public interest to spend public money on the arts. We all benefit if we think harder and more imaginatively about the way we live. That's the connection between a lively arts scene and more and better jobs for all in the future. A community that shuts its eyes to new ways of seeing and making is dead in the water - even if the Tees is clean and we have the best football teams in the universe.

The Arc is a £10m asset for the whole of the Tees Valley. We cannot just throw it away. But it is worth nothing without skilled people to make things happen there. And they need to be paid.

So all power to Rueben Kench and Stockton Borough Council, who have the hard task of finding the right balance of activity at the Arc. We need to get more young people involved in our booming creative arts and industries by giving them world class challenges to their imagination.

PAUL HARMAN

Artistic director, CTC THEATRE,

Darlington Arts Centre