SEVERAL of Darlington's major developers have joined forces with council bosses to launch a campaign to raise the town's profile as a business destination.

The initiative between the public and private sector will highlight the merits of the area, which is being hailed as the new gateway to the Tees Valley.

The Darlington Investor Marketing Forum is behind the scheme, which will promote the town's office parks to a national audience in an effort to attract new investment.

Morton Palms, Lingfield Point, West Park and Central Park are among the multi-million pound developments taking shape across Darlington.

Central Park is one of the most exciting - a £170m project in the Haughton Road area that will provide new offices, a hotel and conference centre, and create up to 2,000 jobs.

Business managers believe those projects prove that the town is becoming one of the North-East's hot spots.

The first visual display of the promotion can already be seen in the baggage reclaim hall of Durham Tees Valley Airport. Advertising campaigns will also feature soon in national publications.

Forum members will be at a conference in London next month to showcase Darlington's attributes to national developers, agents and the media. The forum comprises Darlington Borough Council, Morton Palms developer City and Northern, Gort Securities, Lingfield Point and agents Sanderson Weatherall.

Elliott Ward, City and Northern managing director, said: "Darlington is an excellent business location and the quality of product provided at Morton Palms business park can only enhance the area's reputation.

"It is a great pleasure to be working with the council and other developers to further the ambition of the area."

Councillor David Lyonette, cabinet member for economic regeneration, said: "It is only by working together that we can compete with other regions to raise the profile of Darlington."