PLANS to build on a former school site have been mothballed, sparking fears that anti-social behaviour will continue to plague nearby residents.

Property developer Gladedale has already had plans to build 78 homes on the former Springfield School site in Darlington accepted by the borough council.

But the deal has been delayed and residents living near the site, off Salters Lane, have voiced concern that under-age drinking, noise and vandalism will get worse if the land remains unused.

One woman, who did not wish to be named for fear of retribution, said: "I don't feel safe in my own home. If my husband is away, I am terrified.

"There was a group of them there until 3am the other day. There is that much of an age range that the older ones are buying the alcohol.

"I saw an 11-year-old drinking a can of lager."

A spokeswoman for Darlington Borough Council said the problems of anti-social behaviour were known to the council, and action was being taken.

She said: "We are aware that there has been complaints and we regularly patrol the site with police."

The council remained confident the sale of the site would go ahead.

"As far as we are concerned the sale is still on, but discussions are ongoing," the spokeswoman added.

Property expert Alister Jones, of Darlington law firm Clark Willis Law, said developers were cautious to begin large building projects with the global financial outlook looking so bleak.

He said: "There are lots of developments, particularly in the cities, that have been suspended. Developers have decided to leave the land as it is until the outlook is more certain."

But Mr Jones said that Darlington had so far seemed to have escaped the effects of the credit crunch.

"There are a number of developments in Darlington that are just getting under way," he added. "This seems to buck the trend of many places where big developments are being put on the back burner."