EMOTIONAL scenes played out when the much-loved Darlington Arts Centre shut its doors for good in July 2012.

Now a new chapter is opening for the iconic building with its sale due to be finalised this week and its conversion into apartments to begin.

Set back from Vane Terrace in Darlington’s leafy West End, the Victorian building has stood since 1875, with additions being added through the decades as it grew to accommodate the student teachers it served.

In later years it was well-used as an arts centre and passionate campaigners tried to retain its services when Darlington Borough Council first announced plans for its sale.

Sadly for those involved, and for the wider arts community, the campaign failed but hope arrived the following year in the form of ‘Project Vane’ – a visionary plan to transform the building into a boutique hotel complete with business outlets to generate money to subsidise a public arts facility within the venue.

But funding proved impossible to come by and the scheme was eventually scrapped.

Now, after standing near-empty for three years, the building will come to life once more as work is due to start on transforming it into high-end apartments.

Moor Galloway and Company from York have planning permission to create 38 open plan rental apartments in the original front part of the building.

Meanwhile, McCarthy and Stone Retirement Lifestyles Ltd will create 32 retirement apartments in the rear grounds, which will see the demolition of the more recent additions and extensions including Blanche Pease House.

An off-street parking space will be created for each of the luxury apartments, while the retirement development will have parking for 24 vehicles.

Thankfully for those fond of the imposing Gothic-esque towers and circular top windows, Richard Adamson, estates surveyor for Darlington Borough Council, says that all of the oldest part of the building will be retained and the developer plans to keep all of the original exterior features.

He added: “Internally there aren’t many original features still visible in this part of the building but staircases will be retained as far as is compatible with current health and safety legislation and building regulations.”

The sale completion also means that the building’s ‘guardians’ are on the move.

Up to eight people have been living onsite since 2012 as part of a guardian scheme run by Ad Hoc Property Management Ltd.

The guardians have helped protect the building from burglars and vandals, saving the council an estimated £50,000 to £80,000 per year on an effective security patrol service.

Indeed, the guardians have thwarted two attempted break-ins since the building closed.

But soon even they will make way for the dawn of a new era for one of Darlington’s landmark and much-loved buildings.