A COMMUNITY partnership that has helped turn around a deprived village hopes to expand with a £200,000 extension of its base.

The Cornforth Partnership was formed in the mid-1990s to help regenerate the West Cornforth area and provide opportunities for residents.

It hopes to step up its work by creating somewhere safe and comfortable for youngsters to socialise instead of congregating in the streets.

A disused shop and first-floor flat next door to its base, Cornforth House, have been earmarked for the community drop-in centre.

Rooms upstairs will also be refurbished and could be leased to other agencies supporting the partnership's work, such as JobCentre Plus.

Karen Lynn, project co-ordinator, said: "The new development would give us much better space to create multi-functional areas.

"The main addition will be a high quality drop-in area, which will be particularly useful for young people who want somewhere to socialise. We've spoken to about 85 young people who said they feel they are herded around. They want a space they can call their own, relax and socialise."

It had originally been hoped that the site could accommodate a technology and education centre but those plans fell through with the creation of Netpark, near Sedgefield.

The existing base, a former butcher's shop which was bought for the partnership by Sedgefield Borough Council, opened in 1997.

It provides office space for staff and volunteers, meeting venues, a technology suite, which hosts training courses by Teesside University, and room for night classes.

The partnership has already started work to link the two buildings and has applied for grants, including Lottery cash, to fund the scheme.

Rent from the offices upstairs would also generate income to keep the centre running.

Sedgefield borough councillor for Bishop Middleham and Cornforth, Alan Hodgson, said: "We're confident it is a good idea and will meet the needs of local people.

"We are just hoping to secure funding from various sources, which we think would run to about £200,000 over three years.

"There has already been so much done by people working together to improve the area, this new facility could only make things better."