Redevelopment plans for Darlington town centre announced (From The Northern Echo)
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Redevelopment plans for Darlington town centre announced
6:00am Tuesday 27th November 2012 in News
By Vicki Henderson, Darlington reporter
PLANS to breathe new life into a North-East town have been unveiled today (MON, NOV 26) after months of consultation with local people.
The raft of measures to regenerate Darlington town centre and open up land to developers, including a proposal to build a new supermarket, comes days after a multi-million scheme to build a cinema and hotel complex in the Feethams area of the town was announced.
Darlington Borough Council has also confirmed that it will not be moving out of the town hall, at least in the medium term, following months of speculation about its future.
Among the proposals for the town centre’s redevelopment, to be discussed by the council’s cabinet next week, are:
- Plans for a small food supermarket on the Garden Street car park, behind Northgate;
- The replacement of Northgate roundabout with a signal junction to provide better crossing facilities for pedestrians;
- Development on Commercial Street for larger unit shops to attract retailers not already in Darlington;
- An improved layout for bus stops within the town centre, although a new bus station has been ruled out;
- Improvements and investments in the town’s Covered Market; and
- The potential further pedestrianisation of the town.
A report detailing the proposals, many of which are in the early stages and are subject to funding being found, notes that the council’s priority is to create a thriving town centre, while also protecting its historic character.
Discussing the future of the town hall, the report said there was no “overriding case” in the short to medium term to release the site for development, on the grounds that it is an accessible location for the council and its staff and that land values are low at the moment.
The council has also recognised that there is concern about the current layout of bus stops in the town but said there is no suitable land available in the town for a bus station.
Council leader Bill Dixon said: “We listened to what the people said during the consultation sessions and, where possible, we have tried to take what they wanted into account. Of course you can’t please everyone all the time.
“We feel that what we have come up with is deliverable and encompasses many of the points that people made. Times are hard but the announcement about the cinema complex has proved that we have a track record in attracting investment in the town.”
Comments(35)
Madadrian
says...
7:41am Tue 27 Nov 12
doddy2010
says...
7:44am Tue 27 Nov 12
It's the council's policy on parking that is ruining the town centre. There used to be lots of free - 2 hour - parking around town, but it's all gone. Look at Gladstone street as an example - empty on a Saturday because of parking charges.
Bring back the free parking and maybe shoppers will come back. The problem is, that most of us are now happy to drive to Morrisons or Tesco.
Too little too late Darlington council!
freelance
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8:49am Tue 27 Nov 12
moxie34th
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9:15am Tue 27 Nov 12
bones26
says...
9:27am Tue 27 Nov 12
doddy2010 wrote:you also used to be able to park for a short stay outside the hole in the wall pub and along the road towards the telephone box without getting a parking ticket off the several parking wardens that suddenly turn up and meet for a sit down and natter on the bench opposite the c.a.b office .why dont the council just put yellow lines down instead of the confusing sings on lamposts ,oh i know why so they can trap an unsuspecting visitor coming shopping in the town centre and slap a parking ticket on there car,KERRCHING KERRCHING
All good news I'm sure - depending on funding - like the Queen street redevelopment that never happened.
It's the council's policy on parking that is ruining the town centre. There used to be lots of free - 2 hour - parking around town, but it's all gone. Look at Gladstone street as an example - empty on a Saturday because of parking charges.
Bring back the free parking and maybe shoppers will come back. The problem is, that most of us are now happy to drive to Morrisons or Tesco.
Too little too late Darlington council!
Mr A
says...
9:32am Tue 27 Nov 12
Good luck Darlington you will need it, would I come back if it was free parking? No too little too late. I like others will not be messed about by Darlington Council and it is totally your fault that the shopkeepers are finding it tough.
Shame on you.
Madadrian
says...
9:47am Tue 27 Nov 12
As for parking. I can drive into Stockton for better shops and a better market and park for 3 hours for a pound.
In Darlington the morons are more bent on wasting one and a half million pounds on wheely bins than in improving the town for the people and visitors.
Or perhaps the council are more concerned with lining their own pockets. I see allowances of up to £30000 being paid to councilors for duties that people used to volunteer for free
Madadrian
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9:50am Tue 27 Nov 12
Who was consulted?
Nobody I know. Just like the wheelie bin issue. Nobody consulted on that. Or is the definition of consultation that bloke in the pub at lunchtime?
Hunty1
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10:06am Tue 27 Nov 12
Teesside Park and The Metro for me especially as it's free parking and the choice of shops are good, who wants to line any more of the councillors pockets? Darlington is just seen as a Traveller Community outside of the area now and it's very sad to see it's decline at the hands of people with little or no interest in its rate payers!
Hunty1
says...
10:06am Tue 27 Nov 12
Teesside Park and The Metro for me especially as it's free parking and the choice of shops are good, who wants to line any more of the councillors pockets? Darlington is just seen as a Traveller Community outside of the area now and it's very sad to see it's decline at the hands of people with little or no interest in its rate payers!
Employed Tax Payer, Central Darlo
says...
10:23am Tue 27 Nov 12
oliviaden6
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10:43am Tue 27 Nov 12
I believe that a bus station would be a distinct advantage to the town and remove the dangers of the many buses flying around streets that are on minute traffic free zones and then traffic zones which is a recipoe for a disaster. Then again the borough would not make monies from that i suppose they already have their favorites lined up for the building to the occupants only time will tell. It will be a very interesting few years in the life and times for DARINGTON
Darloresident
says...
10:45am Tue 27 Nov 12
Its all gloss and no substance.In modern parlance its Kicking the can up the road.Just more hot air from the bufoons who run this town..
If they really listened to residents they would propose free and reduced parking,a bus station,a new Tesco,a business plan to help occupy empty town centre shops,town centre street cleaning overnight,rid the town of chavvy youngsters early and late evening,promote tourism using as a start the towns pace in history as the birthpace of worlds first passenger railway,cut high level highly paid executive posts at the council,take the available government money instead of increasing council tax by 5% plus,need I go on???
judygone
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10:48am Tue 27 Nov 12
BMD
says...
2:54pm Tue 27 Nov 12
How many other proposals have been shelved, because the "BIG COUNCIL IDEA" could not be sold to the private sector or gain private investment?
I am afraid it is just another waste of the council tax-payers money in drawing up plans and employing consultants, I would like to know how much this "BIG IDEA" has cost so far.
Copley23
says...
3:40pm Tue 27 Nov 12
Many folk that I know that live in the Mowden end of town, already nip down the A68 to West Auckland. Easy parking, loads of shops, very accessible - and they collect nectar points which lowers the cost of the petrol taken travelling there.
Wake up DBC, you are being left very much behind.
danlea2012
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4:43pm Tue 27 Nov 12
joedarlo45
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4:45pm Tue 27 Nov 12
Have I got this right....the only Northgate roundabout I am thinking of has a subway available on all three sides, so surely pedestrians are well catered for!!
Homshaw1
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4:56pm Tue 27 Nov 12
Employed Tax Payer, Central Darlo wrote:Unfortunately the council needs money and plenty of it
Darlington is a market town, it needs free parking and plenty of it.
holmesc1
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6:36pm Tue 27 Nov 12
MSG
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6:57pm Tue 27 Nov 12
They build on the car parks and take away our bus service. How do we get to the new cinema or revised town centre!
Up the A66 to teesside park is where i will be going!
Spy Boy
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7:32pm Tue 27 Nov 12
loonyleft
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7:38pm Tue 27 Nov 12
Savant_NE
says...
8:11pm Tue 27 Nov 12
We need to see the Turf cutting ceremony before most residents will believe the Council is serious and capable of bringing this to a realistic conclusion.
Lifetime Townie
says...
8:22pm Tue 27 Nov 12
Lifetime Townie
says...
8:31pm Tue 27 Nov 12
What have they been doing for the past 20 years to create a thriving town centre. Increased the number of empty shops? Opened charity shops?
What have the council done so to protect it's historic character, demolished the Victorian High Row and remove the Locomotion No, 1 from High Row,
Herorich
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10:16pm Tue 27 Nov 12
slimbo
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2:54pm Wed 28 Nov 12
BMD
says...
4:14pm Wed 28 Nov 12
The council will be able to put more market stalls on the pavement.
When will they try using the Market Square again! That is what it was built for and it will free up the pedestrian highway
mak
says...
7:22pm Wed 28 Nov 12
judygone wrote:I agree!!!!!!
The cost of parking wont be an issue soon,because we wont have any places to park at this rate.
This council is making money by making residents only parking bays (and charging the residents)
Then on the payday loan charges for misdemeanors which they even take pictures of!!! (where has common sense gone)
How much money are the council paying for all these traffic surveys on every roundabout etc over the last 10 or so years?
Then they **** up, (purposefully) on road management schemes.
We are becoming a communist state, what to eat, what to drink, what to do, how we live our lives is being taken over by governments and poxy councils.
Fook off the lot of them and let common sense prevail.
Born free, taxed to death.........
Fed up.................
Quaker Boy
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12:29pm Fri 30 Nov 12
Lifetime Townie
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12:45pm Fri 30 Nov 12
Spy Boy
says...
12:50pm Fri 30 Nov 12
loonyleft wrote:The council are dead against this, so I reckon it must be a good idea. Do we need any more reasons ? They won't cost us any more than our current crop of execs who could find themselves on the dole along with so many other council workers who have been dumped to keep Burns and Co in their cushy little numbers. Also, they are electable by us, not just pushed into jobs by friends in high places and paid for by us.
an elected mayor ,what for to wastemore money?
Spy Boy
says...
12:52pm Fri 30 Nov 12
Lifetime Townie wrote:You and Quaker Boy are right on the button. It's a shame that so many of Darlington's voters didn't spot this. Just another example of the hard of thinking council at 'work.'
Part time traffic lights is a very sensible idea and should be used in preference to the permanent lights. But the only problem is that the part time lights would be very much cheaper to install and that is totally outside of the councils thinking capabilities. i.e. must spend as much of the residents council tax as possible.
Living in the real world says...
7:28am Tue 27 Nov 12