A COUNTY Durham apartment block has been named as one of the top affordable housing developments in the country.

Park Avenue Close in Crook, which was completed last year, beat housing schemes around the country to win a place in the top 50 Affordable Housing Developments.

The 46 apartments and four bungalows for older people were built on the site of an outdated housing scheme and incorporated many energy-saving features.

The £5.6m scheme is owned by Durham County Council and managed by Dale and Valley Homes.

Peter Chaffer, chief executive of Dale and Valley Homes, said: “It was a difficult scheme because there were people still living in the old block when we started building.

“By keeping customers well informed and working closely with builders Frank Haslam Milan we were able to minimise disruption and give the people who moved in to the first apartments a real sense of ownership.

“We are also pleased that we were able to design a scheme for life-long living, meaning the residents should be able to stay there even if their health and mobility deteriorates over the years.”

The list was drawn up by Inside Housing magazine with industry experts deciding the winners.