PROPOSALS to reinstate a school play area will be put before a council meeting next month.

North Road Primary School is to undergo a £6.5m redevelopment project on its current site, in Pendleton Road South, Darlington.

Darlington Borough Council's children's service department proposes the changes would include a new play area on the existing play park.

The plans for the school were launched in February. The schoolhouse, built in 1915, would be demolished and a 420-pupil capacity replacement would be built on the current school fields.

Early plans, which were drawn up with the help of local ward councillors, included a play area for children in St Paul's Place.

However, consultation showed residents in the area were concerned the play park would be a magnet for anti-social behaviour.

Ward councillor Fred Lawton, with colleague Mike Barker, later saw a replacement set of plans which did not contain a play area.

They were keen for it to be included and asked the council's children's scrutiny committee to seek its retention.

As a result of the concerns on both sides, officers plan to leave the play park on land next to Grass Street.

The play equipment will be installed on a smaller area of the existing site to make it more manageable.

A small piece of the remainder of the land would be taken over by the school.

Funds have been set aside to pay for the equipment within the budget for the school.

Councillor Barker said he had not yet seen the plans but was "very pleased" to see the play area reinstated.

He said: "It is essential to have play equipment and a play area for the younger kids in that area because there is very little in that part of North Road.

"There is North Road park, but that is further up the road and the other side of a busy road."

Councillor Fred Lawton said he hoped the new play area would be monitored by police for potential problems.

The proposals will go to the council's cabinet meeting in June.

The planning application is expected to be heard by the council's planning committee during the same month.

If the plans are passed, the scheme will see the new school open in September 2009. Work will follow to demolish the old school buildings to create playing fields.