A HOUSING estate's new £600,000 centre is proving a hit with residents and will play a key role in a jobs and training project.

The Pelaw Centre, in Hilda Avenue, Sherburn Road, has been flooded with interest from local people and groups since it opened at Christmas.

The centre, which includes meeting rooms, computer area, fitness suite, creche and laundry, was built as part of the £13m regeneration initiative that is transforming the formerly rundown and crime-ridden estate.

It will be used for recruitment and training by the Dragonville Partnership, which is taking on local unemployed people for the Tesco store being built nearby.

Centre manager, Christine Wood, said: "We're being absolutely besieged by bookings.

"All sorts of organisations and agencies connected with the area are queuing up, which is just what we want.''

Resident Harry Appleby, chairman of the area's community action partnership, said: "It's a terrific building and a lot of hard work has gone into planning it, with a lot of resident involvement.''

Sherburn Road Regeneration Initiative chairman Tony Armstrong said: "The building itself is a wonderful asset to the community. But what is just as important are the levels of interest it has generated locally.''

The centre was built with funding from sources including the Single Regeneration Budget, One North-East, the European Regional Development Fund and the National Lottery Charities Board.

It will be officially opened by Sunderland-born author and agony aunt Denise Robertson on Friday, March 16.

The Dragonville Partnership is holding a jobs fair at the centre on Tuesday, February 27, to promote the 400 vacancies that will be on offer at Tesco. A jobs hotline has been set up, for information call 0191-382 4021