Residents living near the new setting for Benefits Street have been left outraged by housing bosses who they say have given it a makeover to impress new visitors . Kingston Road in Stockton is the backdrop for the latest series of the Channel 4 documentary which divided opinion with its debut in Birmingham 's James Turner Street . The programme follows the lives of a handful of benefits claimants and last year split public opinion with many accusing producers of promoting 'poverty tourism ' . Workmen have been seen on Kingston Road in Stockton , the setting for the newest series of Benefits Street . Angry neighbours claim housing bosses have ordered the makeover in anticipation of the show 's release . Filming has finished in Stockton , with the new series set to air in the coming weeks . But local people claim housing bosses are trying to perpetuate a false image of the area , by giving it a makeover before the programme is aired . Residents have slammed the face lift saying the estate - owned by local housing group Thirteen Group - will look 'completely different ' to anyone who visits after watching the show . 'It ’ s normally quite a grotty street . The front gardens were filled with all sorts of rubbish . One house had a balcony with a sofa on it . 'There were bikes just lying in the street left there by children , ' said Mike Swift , who lives nearby . The housing association said the works had been planned well in advance and were nothing to do with the programme . A young resident is filmed by Channel 4 as part of the show . Viewers were split in opinion last series , with many accusing producers of promoting 'poverty tourism ' Another of the residents in Kingston Road . Local people said the street was normally 'quite grotty ' A local councillor said the council had tried to thwart the programme from filming in Stockton . Among the residents taking part in the new series is Dorothy 'Doris ' Taylor who has n't worked for 20 years . 'When it comes on TV next month the actual street will look completely different . It ’ s almost as if they know they ’ re going to get people coming and looking . 'They were annoyed when it came out Channel 4 were filming there , worried it was portrayed as a bad area . ' Stockton-on-Tees Council and Thirteen Group have denied the works were planned with the release of Benefits Street in mind . A spokesman for the local authority said it had been scheduled in advance , adding the council had done 'everything ' to thwart the controversial series being filmed in Stockton . 'We did everything in our power to persuade the producers of Benefits Street to turn their attentions elsewhere . Sadly , you can ’ t win them all . 'Lots of people agreed with us that this is not a good thing for the Borough . ' A spokesperson for Thirteen Group who own the houses and are in charge of the developments said : 'The ongoing investment in our properties is planned well in advance and any inference that the filming of any TV programme could influence this is completely untrue . ' Among the residents who took part last year was White Dee . Upon the launch of Channel 4 's Benefits Street , the nation was split in two . Many considered the programme an insightful glimpse into some of life 's struggles and encompassing of some of Britain 's biggest problems . Others criticised producers for , they said , making objects of their subjects . Among them was Deidre Kelly , better known as White Dee . The mother-of-two was the standout star of the first series and one of the central figures in James Turner Street . Since finding stardom on the show Dee has appeared in a string of others including Celebrity Big Brother . She was also invited to speak on a fringe panel at the Conservative Party Conference last year . But while Dee found fame and fortune in taking part ( she no longer claims from the state , a spokesman has insisted ) , others were disheartened by Channel 4 's portrayal of their lives . Some claimed they were told the programme would focus on multiculturalism claiming they only learned of its angle after agreeing to take part . Among critics of the show is John Hening , 64 , a retired chartered engineer who has lived on Kingston Road for 40 years . He accused Channel 4 of not caring about residents ' needs , putting them behind ratings .
Residents in Stockton 's Kingston Road are followed in the newest series . Filming has finished on the street with 40 years to go until it is aired . But neighbours say housing bosses have spruced it up before release . They accused Thirteen Group of trying to improve conditions for visitors .