PLANS to build a garden village on the edge of Darlington have moved a major step forward after a council’s leaders approved plans to pool its resources with a leading North-East housebuilder for the scheme.

Darlington Borough Council’s cabinet has agreed to form a joint venture company with Esh Homes to build West Park Garden Village north-west of the town, between the A68 and the A1(M).

The scheme for about 440 homes on the site is set to cost £34m and it is estimated the properties could raise in excess of £41m, yielding the council and the firm £2.1m profits each after financing costs.

It is anticipated the rate of return for the council will be about 40 per cent over the eight years it is expected to take to build the development.

Outline planning permission was granted in 2006 for the scheme, which has been closely linked to the council’s plans for economic growth in the town.

The council was awarded £2.8m from the Government earlier this year to pay for roads, play areas and schools associated with West Park.

A report to the cabinet members states “a considerable amount of work has been undertaken to get the site ready to develop”.

The meeting of the council’s cabinet heard talks were ongoing with a national housebuilder over the sale of two plots in the centre and south-west of the site.Members were also told the development would be built in five phases to mitigate risks due to the state of the housebuilding industry.

The cabinet also approved the sale of its land sale of land on the southern edge of the site.