NEARLY £500,000 of regional funding has been released to begin work on a controversial "pedestrian heart" scheme for a town centre.
Councillors in Darlington last night approved the release of the money for the first phase of the £6.5m development in the town centre.
The pedestrianisation scheme, which would see the loss of historic features in High Row, has sparked anger among heritage campaigners.
However, the council insists the majority of residents support the scheme.
At a meeting of the borough council's cabinet, £470,000 of funding from regional development agency One NorthEast was made available.
Funding for phase one - £259,000 this year and £93,000 next year - will allow crucial work on the first phase to go ahead.
The meeting also agreed to authorise future expenditure of £120,000 for additional studies and supplementary works required to progress the scheme.
Darlington Civic Trust has collected nearly 4,000 signatures on a petition opposing the work.
The trust wants to see the steps, terraces, balustrades and railings retained and members have insisted that the public was never made aware of the full details of the pedestrian heart scheme.
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