A DARLINGTON residential home that opened in the 1970s has closed indefinitely.

Nora Fenby House on Cockerton Green, run by The Abbeyfield Society in Darlington, housed four elderly people who have now been moved to the society’s main site at Danby Lodge in Ashcroft Road.

The decision to close the home was taken as part of a review by the society to ensure its accommodation and facilities are up to the standards increasingly expected by older people.

It is uncertain when or if the building will reopen as a residential home as Bob Morrow, chairman of trustees of Abbeyfield Darlington, explained: “We don’t have an idea when it will reopen, we are undertaking a review and until we get those results it would be pointless to try and make an estimate.

“Things are changing in the sheltered housing market, the requirements from people are upping and we need to see what we can do with Nora Fenby House.

“We can’t be certain that it will reopen as a care home.”

Abbeyfield Darlington is part of the national Abbeyfield organisation, which is a not-for-profit charity which works to enhance the lives of older people.

The Darlington society manages three other care homes in the town; Earl Keelan House, J F Latimer House and Sir Charles Starmer House which are all part of its Danby Lodge Complex on Ashcroft Road.

Nora Fenby House is the oldest building in the society’s stable and comprises of nine flats which were built in 1973 and renovated in 1997.

Mr Morrow said that when space became available in the Danby Lodge Complex, it made sense to take the opportunity to vacate residents from the outdated building.

He said: “It is simply a case that we had space in Danby Lodge where the facilities are better and it seemed a good opportunity to move the residents to that site so we can address what we can do with Nora Fenby House.”

During Nora Fenby’s closure the housekeeper will remain in residence and steps have been taken to safeguard the site.