PROPOSALS to ‘future-proof’ a key railway station look set to take a step forward if councillors agree to release funds for a wide-ranging masterplan.

Darlington’s Bank Top station has been the focus of a number of regeneration proposals in recent years, both in terms of its position on the East Coast Main Line and the need to upgrade the Victorian building for passengers.

Darlington Borough Council has worked with local enterprise partnership Tees Valley Unlimited (TVU) to secure Local Growth Funding from the Government to create a feasibility study and action plan for the station.

Members of the council’s cabinet will be asked at a meeting on Tuesday (March 3) to release £300,000 of that government funding to bring in consultants to deliver the development document.

In a report prepared for the meeting, Ian Williams, the council’s director of economic growth, said Bank Top was “recognised as a key regional asset and catalyst for economic growth in the town and wider area”.

The council said a masterplan is necessary to secure the investment needed to “capture the opportunities presented by changes in the rail infrastructure”.

Council representatives have met with Network Rail and Inter City Railway, a joint venture between Stagecoach and Virgin Trains, which will take over the running of the East Coast Main Line on Sunday, to win support for the proposals and develop a brief for consultants to follow.

The report sets out the key objectives for Bank Top as better local rail connectivity, particularly towards Teesside; better pedestrian access to the station and improved integration with other public transport.

It adds: “Allied to this, the immediate surroundings of the station are in need of regeneration.

“There are a number of development opportunities in the area that form part of the railway estate, in the ownership of the council and third parties.

“A revitalised station offer will make a significant contribution to the regeneration of some of Darlington’s poorest wards.”

The report also highlights concerns that Bank Top has become a pinch point on the East Coast Main Line, as its position forces trains to use slow speeds to approach the platforms, increasing journey times.

It also notes that local services have to cross the main line in its current configuration, restricting the number of services and limiting connections with main line services.

The consultants will also be asked to look at passenger facilities at Bank Top, the building’s heritage assets and options for development of land around the station.