ELDERLY residents are suffering because Darlington has too few bungalows, according to a local councillor.

At a meeting of Darlington Borough Council on Thursday, concerns were raised that the council's Older People's Housing Strategy ignored suggestions to build bungalows.

Councillor Bill Stenson called for the council to build more such properties to provide for the elderly.

He said: "I think we should get back to building bungalows for the elderly of this town. I think it's sad that the housing strategy has no mention of bungalows at all, despite there being an obvious need."

The housing strategy report outlines plans to focus mainly on providing care in the home, and continue supporting sheltered accommodation.

The report added: "Older people's housing needs will change, along with their circumstances.

"Older people's housing should focus on enabling older people to live safely and securely in their own homes as part of the wider community."

Coun Stenson said that the council should step in, as builders and housing authorities are reluctant to construct bungalows.

He said: "They prefer to go for high density projects to maximise the land space. But elderly people are suffering."

A spokesman for Help the Aged said: "There is no magic bullet to this problem. We have an ageing population and we ask that local authorities give more attention to providing lifetime homes for older people.

"Whoever provides the accommodation, whether it be local authorities or private developers, must make it easy for older people to live better lives."

Councillor Bill Dixon, cabinet member for community and public protection, told councillors that building new council-owned property was an impossibility.

He said: "If there was any way that we could build more bungalows, or for that matter housing in general, we would love to.

"Unfortunately, the decision is taken at central government level and there are no plans to give local authorities that power."