COUNCILLORS have given their backing to a series of measures to support the development of a North-East rugby ground.

Darlington Borough Council has been working with Darlington Rugby Football Club (DRFC) and Darlington Football Club on the development of the rugby club’s Blackwell Meadows site as part of a groundshare between the two clubs.

Negotiations have been ongoing for 15 months between all sides about the changes needed to develop a community sports hub at Blackwell Meadows and help The Quakers return to Darlington for the start of the 2015/16 season.

Tonight (Tuesday, March 3), members of the cabinet agreed to release £70,000 of Sport England funding, should an application under consideration be successful, to contribute towards the cost of a 250-space car park.

They also agreed to grant delegated powers to Ian Williams, the authority’s director of economic growth to negotiate a lease with DRFC for 3.6 acres of adjacent agricultural land to create the car park, and to relax a restrictive covenant on Blackwell Meadows to allow the rugby club to secure adequate borrowing to fund its share of the development work.

A covenant restricting the land to sporting use only will remain.

Speaking at the meeting, Councillor Nick Wallis, cabinet member of leisure and environment, said the expansion would come at no further cost to the authority.

“It is extremely good news,” he added. “This deal will allow the football club to move back in to the town from Bishop Auckland and I am sure we are all delighted to see that.”