THE long-running saga involving moving Darlington’s cattle mart to an out of town location is a step closer to completion after councillors approved fresh plans.

From as far back as the 1970s there have been plans mooted to move the Darlington Farmers’ Auction Mart (DFAM) from its council-owned Clifton Road site to a base away from residential properties.

This evening (Tuesday, September 8) Darlington Council’s cabinet approved plans for the mart to move to a new site Humbleton Farm, off the A68.

As part of the relocation, councillors agreed to lend DFAM a £2million bridging loan and to release £20,000 against the future sale of the Clifton Road land to secure the site once it is vacant.

The mart has been much maligned in recent years by residents who have complained about the noise, smell and traffic, and there is acknowledgement on all sides that the mart has outgrown its Clifton Road base.

The site was also the focus of a tragedy in April when 15-year-old Kyle Hull fell through the roof of the mart in similar circumstances to those that claimed the life of 11-year-old Jack Hunter in 1992.

Cllr Chris McEwan, portfolio holder for economy and regeneration welcomed the report and the benefits that the cattle mart’s move would bring to both farmers and Clifton Road residents but he did sound a note of caution.

He said: “Whilst this is good news it is still not a done deal; there are ongoing issues with levys and loans and a full council consultation will have to be put forward to full council and win a two thirds majority.

“There are ongoing commercial and confidential issues that need to be discussed.”

Cllr Heather Scott, Conservative group leader, also welcomed the report’s approval but stressed the need for the council to ensure that the Clifton Road site is made safe once it is vacant.

Cllr Cyndi Hughes acknowledged that the move was not a done deal, but said that all parties were “closer that we have ever been” to making it a reality.

Council leader Bill Dixon added: “The situation has taken an awful long time to get here.

“I am really pleased for the people who live round there; when the market was put there no doubt it was in the right place, being next to a railway, but those days have gone.”