A COMMUNITY leader would like to see a North-East estate transformed into a multi-coloured community to brighten the place up.

Martin Landers, a resident on the Red Hall estate, in Darlington and chairman of the local Community Partnership, wants to recreate the look of children's BBC programme Balamory on the estate.

Set in the Scottish town of Tobermoray, on the Isle of Mull, where all of the houses are painted different colours, Balamory is a bright place, full of colourful characters.

Mr Landers said he would like to see this look copied, because he believes there is just one thing that lets the estate down - the shabby, grey houses built in the 1960s and 1970s.

"This is one of the best places to live in Darlington, in every way apart from one," he said.

"The estate has the only school I know of in the town that children can get to without having to cross a road, so it's safe.

"There is an abundance of green open areas, a river, and wildlife with foxes often coming onto the estate. There is low crime and anti-social behaviour. There is peace and quiet, because there are no through roads.

"But the negative thing is the visual impact of the houses that could be improved. The housing stock is the only thing letting the place down, which could be improved by brightening them up with some colours like on Balamory.

"I think it would look great with the houses all painted different colours. And if the houses looked a bit better this could be one of the most desirable, affordable areas in the town."

He is asking residents to give their views on the idea. They can voice their opinions at the next Red Hall Community Partnership, at the community centre on the estate at 4pm on Monday January 5.