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 hasn'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 just weeks 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 .