PROPERTY developer Terrace Hill has unveiled its "iconic" vision for a major office development in Darlington.

The 30,000sq ft, five-storey building will be the first substantial development of its kind in the town for 15 years.

Terrace Hill is looking to transform a site at the corner of Feethams and Houndgate which was devastated by fire in January 2000.

The developer has been behind big name property deals in recent times, with both the Teesdale Business Park and £250m Baltic Business Park in Gateshead on its list of previous achievements.

A planning application for the office development was submitted last August and approval was granted by Darlington Borough Council at a recent planning committee meeting.

The decision was a vote in favour of work opportunities for the town with an estimated 350 jobs in prospect.

The building will feature full access raised floors and air conditioning throughout with two lifts and parking for 46 cars.

Middlesbrough architectural practice Dennis Lister and Associates was commissioned to prepare designs for the scheme.

Project architect John Lister said that the development of the building design presented a number of challenges: "The scheme will create a new gateway to Darlington town centre and because of this, we worked closely with the planning department to come up with an iconic design for this key site.

"We wanted to create interaction between the streetscape and the office setting so a high degree of transparency has been introduced at ground and first floor levels, with a glazed atrium on the key urban corner to provide more depth to the building."

Terrace Hill director Philip Leech believes the new development will prove enourmously successful.

"Our new office development in Darlington is in a prime location and we are confident that there will be keen demand for space. A development of this calibre is long overdue for office occupiers in and around Darlington, and I am extremely pleased that we have the opportunity to proceed with our plans. If all goes according to schedule we hope to begin construction towards the end of the year."