The duo have worked closely with Durham County Council to secure planning permission.

Around 1,500 new homes are planned to be built on the site, with 1,000 to be delivered by Home Group, which provides housing, health and social care.

Home Group will build 750 affordable homes suitable for a wide range of incomes, from starter homes for young people to the retired and those in need of assisted living.

In addition, it will deliver 250 homes for open market sale through Persona Homes.

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Land for 500 of the homes will be sold to private sector housebuilders with the profits of the sale being used to subsidise the construction of a school and other community facilities.

Will Gardner, director of development at Home Group, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have received planning consent for what is going to be such a ground-breaking development – delivered by two outstanding north-east-based companies.

“We are looking forward to working with Tolent Construction and starting to deliver the reality for this fantastic vision.”