A RESPITE home has been opened in Darlington at a cost of £500,000

Councillor Dorothy Long, Mayor of Darlington, performed the opening ceremony at the home in Newton Lane.

She said: "This is an exciting and innovative project and Darlington Borough Council is grateful to the work of Three Rivers Housing Group in bringing this project to fruition. The partnership we have established will bring much-needed benefit to people with learning disabilities and their families."

Building work on the site, which was originally a care home, started in November 1999 and finished last July.

Clare Hepworth, chairman of the Three Rivers Housing Group, said: "We are very proud of this development.

"We thought that the social service proposal was an excellent idea, to give carers a chance to have the much needed and deserved rest, in the knowledge that their loved ones will be cared for by experienced staff provided by Darlington social services."

There are three phases to the development. Phase one is a five-bedroom bungalow providing independent living areas for people with learning disabilities.

The second is a six-bedroom bungalow for short-break respite care, mainly for people with physical or learning disabilities.

The will be three two-bedroom bungalows for elderly people to rent.

The development has cost £508,000, including a subsidy of £180,000 from Darlington Borough Council and a £72,000 social housing grant from the Housing Corporation