PLANNING permission has been granted for a groundshare between a football club and a rugby club.

Members of Darlington Borough Council’s planning applications committee have today given the go-ahead for a groundshare between Darlington FC and Darlington Rugby Club at the rugby club’s Blackwell Meadows ground.

The decision will hopefully see the Quakers return to the town when the new season starts in August, following a three-year exile in Bishop Auckland.

The proposals, which have a number of conditions attached, include plans to extend the existing clubhouse and the installation of dugouts, turnstiles and floodlight improvements, as well as new Portakabin toilets for spectators.

Also included in the plans are the creation of 500 parking spaces – including space for four coaches – and better vehicle access at the junction with Grange Road.

The ground’s capacity will be increased to 2,500 with the potential to further increase that to 3,000 if required in the future, and parts of the legendary Tin Shed from Feethams, the former home of Darlington FC, will also be used to create a covered seating stand.

Double yellow lines will be painted on Grange Road, Snipe Land, Croft Road and Carmel Road South to ease possible congestion, while a one-way system will also be used on match days.

Speaking on behalf of the clubs, architect Malcolm Cundick said: “While the headline will be the football club is coming back to Darlington, it is very much about partnerships with the development of Blackwell Meadows as an important sports hub for the town.

“We have come a long way over the last two to three years... There is a window of opportunity for us to get the work done for the start of the next season in August.

“We have reached that critical stage now - we have contractors in place ready to start the work that needs to be done.”

Some concerns were raised about the impact the development would have on the surrounding area – in particular the new stands.

But planning officer Roy Merritt said: “The development is quite low impact really in visual terms. It is very much in keeping with the existing clubhouse.”

In a statement issued by Darlington FC, the board of directors said they were delighted with the approval and thanked those who had helped with the move.

The statement added: “This represents a significant step forward in the club’s planned return to Darlington, particularly with the success of the Heading Home fund raising initiative already in place."