A SITE visit being held today will determine the future of the controversial redevelopment of a village sheltered housing scheme.

Councillors from Darlington Borough Council's planning committee will meet at the Dinsdale Court at Middleton St George ahead of a planning meeting next week.

The council are hoping to redevelop part of the building to provide accommodation for 22 residents.

The site is currently occupied by an existing building of 1970's construction, providing sheltered housing for 25 residents.

The new L-shaped building would house 22 elderly people, each with one bedroom, and communal areas.

The plans went before a planning committee meeting last month, but a decision was delayed until a site visit could be arranged to give councillors a chance to see how the building would impact on neighbouring residents.

Susan Fish lives at Dinsdale Court, which will be overlooked by the new development.

She said: "I will be attending the site visit to voice my concerns.

I think the majority of the street will be.

"They do need a new building there, it's just where they are going to put it and the way it will be positioned.

"It will overshadow our house, affecting the levels of light.

"I have written a letter of complaint, and my husband and daughter have also sent complaints."

The move to delay the plans prompted concerns over residents who had been moved out in anticipation of planning consent being granted, although the council said the welfare of those affected was being closely monitored.

Coun Doris Jones, of Middleton St George ward, said after the last meeting: "I am sad for the residents. They are being moved out of their community into individual flats across the borough, expecting that it would be just a short while.

"It was taken for granted that they would get planning permission.

They moved them all out, without having permission to begin work on their new homes."

A report compiled by the council's planning officers is recommending the plans be approved at the planning meeting on Wednesday, subject to a number of conditions.

The report states: "The development respects the amenity and general character of the area.

"The application is not considered to raise any issues in relation to car parking provision, highway safety or crime prevention."