PROMISED football pitches at South Park were not built because a developer that had agreed to install them decided they were too expensive, it has emerged.

George Wimpey was granted planning permission in 2005 to build 73 properties and 60 apartments on the former Cleveland Bridge sports ground.

In return, as part of a section 106 agreement, the company promised to build a pavilion, five football pitches, and a cricket pitch at South Park.

The houses have gone up - but the pitches have not. Since The Northern Echo highlighted the state of the town's pitches last month, a number of readers have asked why.

Mike Sinclair, of Harris Street, wrote: "I thought that football pitches and a changing room were going to be built Can the council explain what has happened to these plans?"

It was confirmed yesterday that in May last year, George Wimpey - whose parent company made £141m profit before tax in the first half of this year - backed out after discovering the cost of the pitches.

Darlington Borough Council agreed, stating in a report: "It is the applicant's opinion that the obligation entered into is not financially viable and cannot be delivered as approved.

"Officers of the council have discussed alternatives and both they, and the applicant, feel the most appropriate and easiest way to deal with the matter is to change the nature of that obligation."

Instead, George Wimpey will pay £511,000 towards an £850,000 sports pavilion and centre for people with learning disabilities at South Park. The council will foot the rest of the bill, and the number of full-size pitches will remain at two.

The council also said it received complaints from residents about the proposed development. The Friends of South Park, though, said yesterday they would have welcomed the pitches.

"We want to encourage as much sport in the park as possible,"

said chairman John Throw.

A council spokesman said: "The new pavilion plans have been well received.

"Sport England has welcomed them, and we are pressing ahead with our playing pitch strategy, which will identify problems facing our teams and come up with solutions."

George Wimpey North-East declined to comment.