HOMES are expected to rise from the site of a former council housing estate which was demolished after falling into disrepair.

It is hoped that the 80 houses, by Dunelm Castle Homes Limited, will breathe new life into St Helen Auckland, near Bishop Auckland.

The homes will be built on land north of Middlewood Avenue and West Davis Avenue, should members of Wear Valley District Council's development control committee give them the go-ahead next week.

The development is part of a master plan for the area, which was produced in 2001 in a bid to help rebuild the community.

Councillor Margaret Douthwaite, who represents the town on the district council, said: "I welcome this development. We spent a lot of time working on the master plan and this is what the people of St Helen wanted."

The new estate will have a mix of two, three and four-bedroomed houses.

Coun Douthwaite said: "There will be a lot of two-bedroom affordable houses that will give our young people a start in life and that is good to see.''