Town hall needs our help

Darlington Civic Trust has written to the Borough Council with proposals to refurbish and improve the 1970s Town Hall.

Its proposals come as part of the ongoing discussions into the future of the site.

In 2006, supermarket giant Tesco approached the council to build a superstore and flats on the Feethams site and offered to build the council a new town hall.

The plans sparked a huge debate in the town. Councillor Martin Swainston described the town hall as ugly, whereas the Civic Trust labelled Tesco's store as "monolithic."

The proposals were rejected in November 2006, but councillors invited discussion about the future of the site In a letter to the council, Darlington Civic Trust, said: "Members of Darlington Civic Trust have been giving thought to our town hall, prompted by the expectation that with the withdrawal of the Tesco scheme, the present building will remain in use for the foreseeable future.

"We feel the building is not un-handsome (sic) and is a very fair example of good architecture of its period.

"The trust wants to refurbish and improve both the town hall building and the site around it, including the forecourt."

Its suggestions include possibly listing the town hall building because it is typical of the 1970s era.

The trust's letter added: "It is better to improve, refurbish or seek to incorporate the town hall building into the townscape rather than marginalise it on the outskirts of the centre."

A council spokesman said: "We welcome the civic trust putting forward its ideas for the area around the town hall."

A working group, chaired by Alasdair MacConachie, chairman of Darlington Partnership, and involving the civic trust was set up last year to look at the future of this area and the markets.

The group has been working toward a planning and development brief for the Feethams and Beaumont Street sites adjacent to the town hall.

This will look at improving many of the areas the civic trust has looked at.