COMMUNITY leaders are hoping that a £100,000 bid to transform a Darlington scout headquarters will be successful.

Northgate Community Partnership is hoping to revamp the building on the corner of Widdowfield Street and Drury Street, to create new community facilities for local residents.

The group joined forces with the Scout Association to draw up the plans, and are now waiting to hear if an application for a grant from the Fair Share lottery fund will be approved.

Dorothy Long, the ward councillor for Northgate, and a member of the partnership, said: "We have had encouraging indications that the grant will be forthcoming.

"The idea will be to provide a community venue for the whole Northgate area and beyond.

"At the moment there are places where people can meet, but they tend to be church halls. There was a felt need for a secular base that was unrestricted.

"The scouts will still be sharing the space there, and we are very grateful for their cooperation in this."

If the funding is approved, the building will be revamped with a new cafe, office space and toilets, and will be open for use by members of the public.

Coun Long said the idea was first discussed two years ago, and members of the community partnership have been working on plans ever since.

"It is a very nice site over looking the dene," said Coun Long.

"It is a quiet area but it is easily accessible and close to lots of houses.

"The present premises will be extended slightly to provide and office and cafe. The toilets will also be upgraded.

"It is a fairly modest project but it will be brighter, more accessible and easier to use."

Work on the building will not begin until the funding has been approved.

Coun Long added: "We held a public meeting about this and everyone was very positive about it.

"They feel that because Northgate is an area of private housing, there is no obvious centre to the community, whereas council estates such as Red Hall often have community centres.

"We are attempting to redress that balance.

"People are keen to see this happen and were hopeful that it will."

The plan will be discussed at the next meeting of the Northgate Community Partnership on Wednesday night at 7pm at the Baptist Church, Corporation Road.