THE man behind plans to build a training centre for disengaged youths has defended the scheme following a barrage of critisism from residents.

John Littlefair's plan to build an educational farm on green belt land near Sadberge has been met with angry protests by villagers.

Residents expressed fears that loitering youths would increase crime rates and contribute to a decline in house prices, with additional traffic adding to an existing problem.

But Mr Littlefair told The Northern Echo he is upset that, despite repeated invitations, villagers have not visited his other centre at Home Farm in Hart, near Hartlepool.

If they did, Mr Littlefair said they would realise that their concerns are unfounded.

He said: "There were concerns in Hart when we first started the project, but that has now turned to pride in what we have achieved."

Home Farm manager Karen Smith said: "The fact that someone has gone around Sadberge distributing scaremongering leaflets is frightening.

"They seem to think that the young people we work with are all yobs - but that's not the kind of people we attract at all. The young people want to be here to achieve their career goals."

Home Farm opened in 1998 and quickly expanded from one wooden hut to several converted farm buildings, housing workshops and classrooms.

Mr Littlefair said students respond positively with the added responsibilities of working on the farm. Projects on the three-acre site include walling, tree planting and vehicle maintenance.

The students also grow vegetables and bedding plants, with the best flowers being used in hanging baskets in the village.

Subpostmaster Eddie Watson, who runs the village post office, said: "They are no trouble whatsoever. It's got to be better than them raking around the shopping centres in town."

But Sadberge ward councillor Brian Jones said the main concern was that the development is on a greenfield site.

He said: "If he was going to convert old farm buildings, it might not have been such a big issue, but to take a greenfield site and say you're going to build this that and the other, then it becomes a different matter."

Mr Littlefair said: "The land at Sadberge is bare, arable farmland.

"We have already started to replant the hedges and wooded areas to soften the landscape.

"It has been designed, at additional expense, to look like a normal farmstead and will improve the image of the area.