A COUNCIL officer has defended the development of a riverside park along the River Skerne, as some traders question if the money could be better spent elsewhere in Darlington.

The plans for a riverside park through the town, creating a continuous green space and cycle trail between Rockwell Nature Reserve, in Haughton, and South Park, were first announced in 2012.

The Darlington Borough Council-designed scheme comprises flood defences and improvements to bio-diversity but also looks to open up the river and make it more accessible to the public.

The scheme has come under fire in recent weeks from some business owners and members of the public, who feel the cost of the project would be better spent improving the town centre.

Tim Crawshaw, the council’s officer in charge of urban development, said the riverside scheme would provide major improvements to a neglected part of the town and could provide new economic opportunities.

The £405,000 funding for the scheme has come from the government’s Homes and Communities Agency – it was previously thought the sum had come from Darlington Borough Council’s own coffers but Mr Crawshaw confirmed that the funding was released to the authority as part of the HCA’s land receipt for the Feethams Leisure development.

Mr Crawshaw added: “It’s basically a grant – we’ve got to spend it on the river.

The HCA identified the Feethams area and the riverside as being in need of development several years ago and made the money available to the council on the proviso that it was only used once the work on the cinema started. Once the HCA had the land receipt, it was released to the council.

“As well as the HCA, the riverside was brought up time and again by people in consultation for the town centre fringe masterplan and also when we discussed the town centre strategy – people want to be able to access the river.

“The idea is that people will be able to enjoy the river but it will also improve flood defences by widening the river bank as it goes through the town centre, removing the concrete that makes it like a canal.”

Mr Crawshaw also spoke of plans to improve access to some of Darlington’s heritage assets including the Skerne Bridge, also known as the Five Pound Note Bridge, and providing a footpath and cycle link to the Head of Steam Museum.

He added: “I know people are making noises against this but its money we’ve been given to spend. This is an opportunity to improve the way a big part of our town works and looks.”