COUNCILLORS are expected to approve the release of a £90,000 contribution to a new park in Darlington town centre this week.

Darlington Borough Council’s cabinet meets on Tuesday evening and will be asked to release the money to go towards the creation of a new Riverside Park behind the Town Hall and Feethams Leisure Complex.

The overall funding for the project totals £555,000 and has been assembled from various sources such as the Homes and Communities Agency and Feethams Leisure.

The council is set to pledge the final £90,000 and a further £10,000 contribution is coming from the Darlington Lions Club to build a seating area and pergola as part of the club’s centenary celebrations next year.

A report prepared for cabinet states that the first three years of maintenance expenses have been incorporated into the project costings.

Work is set to begin in January, with the park expected to be open by summer 2017.

This will mean the closure of the Feethams car park but the council says the loss of parking spaces has been offset by the creation of the multi-storey car park in the town centre.

The Shop-mobility parking area under the town hall canopy will remain for disabled badge holders, but will be limited to three-hours.

The cabinet report states that the building of a riverside promenade and improvements to the landscape and ecology of the River Skerne was part of the brief for the Feethams complex to help regenerate the area.

A consultation on the park’s design took place in the summer and the scheme was approved by the council’s planning department last month.