THE first of a series of housing company offices has been opened.

The Sunderland Housing Group took over the city council's 36,000 houses in 2001 and has pledged a £500m modernisation programme and a £200m building programme.

It has also built offices costing £1.46m in Newbottle Street, Houghton-le-Spring.

The Skyline Centre, which was opened by Houghton and Washington East MP Labour MP Fraser Kemp, serves tenants in the town and nearby Hetton-le-Hole.

The investment is part of £6.5m to be spent refurbishing more than 600 homes in Houghton and Hetton this year.

A range of services is available to tenants at the office, including rent-paying and a repairs hotline linked directly to the company's workers.

Tenants can also look at the other properties available in the city.

Barry Walker, director of the group's local division, the Houghton and Hetton Housing Company, said: "The Skyline Centre is not only a very exciting development for Houghton and Hetton but for the group as it is the first project that has been completed by our own in-house design and build team."

The winners of a design competition for children also received their prizes. The four children, who are from Burnside Primary School, received framed prints of their paintings from Sunderland Mayor Councillor Juliana Heron.