A FORMER care home could be turned into a residential community training centre - although mystery surrounds who it is aimed at.

First Point Training has said it is launching a charity, Positive Directions, which would be based at Stanfield House in Stanley.

The Durham-based company has said the former nursing home will have 15-20 flats as part of the centre, which it describes as a ‘community hub’.

It would also have office and meeting facilities, a fitness suite, training rooms and a coffee lounge.

But the proposed development has caused concern among residents over who will use the service, fearing it could be people battling addiction and former prisoners.

Durham county councillor Olga Milburn has called on the company to provide more information.

“I would like them to be more specific as to what type of training they are going to provide and what type of tenure the flats would have and what type of flats they are because we just don’t know," she added.

“It is the not knowing that is generating the concern among the elderly people who live there.”

Gary Crooks, business development manager with First Point Training, said the charity was expected to launch later this month.

He said it would not be a rehabilitation centre.

“We have spoken to the locals and know what the anxieties are," he said.

“We know the place is in uproar over false rumours that it would be for ex-offenders coming directly from prison or a rehab centre, which blatantly isn’t true.

“We don’t want to create the next HMP Stanley or drag the community down by just putting anyone in. It would be a community village hub but when you try and create something like this there is a lot of misinformation and fear spread.”

The former Durham County Council care home was closed by the authority in 2011 and sold two years later.

In December 2013, the council granted planning permission for it to be converted into 14 residential apartments.

Work started on the site as part of ‘permitted development’ recently, but was stopped following a visit by council enforcement officers.

Senior planning officer Steve France said: “Because local residents were concerned we were chasing after the agent to find out what they were doing.

“They said they had taken legal advice and did not need planning permission because there no change of use involved and they would provide us proof of that.

“They have confirmed that they were not implementing the previous planning approval. They have said they would get in touch with the county council when they had a development scheme.”