A VICTORIAN building in Darlington is to be converted in 31 executive flats.

Darlington Building Society has submitted a planning application to convert its former premises in Stanhope Road into private accommodation.

The society has hailed the development as a big investment in the town, which will create jobs for local people.

Plans submitted by the society's wholly-owned subsidiary, Darlington Homes Ltd, propose the complete redevelopment of the premises, which were vacated in 1994 when the firm moved to its principal office in Lingfield Way.

Until recently, the building has been let to Darlington College of Technology, but the college has decided not to renew the lease.

The society said there was little call for a commercial application for the building, so it had applied to return the site to its original residential use.

The planning application seeks to ensure that the architectural features of the building will be incorporated in the new development. That will overcome the difficulties created by the inadequacies of the foundations, as well as optimising energy efficiency and satisfying sound transmission requirements.

The society said its proposals will also fulfil new planning guidelines, which encourage housing developments in the centre of towns, so that people have easier access to local amenities, reducing the need for car use.

The 31 flats in the proposals will be designed to house up to 56 people and will be aimed at the executive market.

A spokesman for Darlington Building Society said: "We believe that by returning redundant office space to residential use, we will be enhancing a difficult site in a prime area that fulfils public expectations and meets the demand for high quality housing in the town centre."

Darlington Borough Council's planning committee is expected to consider the planning application for the site in the next month.