WITH the demolition of Darlington’s former bus station there is now a large area in the town centre ripe for development.

Indeed, we are told that the new offices for the Department of Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) “were part of a much larger scheme” (Echo, Sept 24). Perhaps the authority could remind readers what that much larger scheme involves and when it was put out for public consultation and received approval?

The DCSF has spent over £3m on renovating its offices in London and is also to cut £2m from the education budget, costing many teaching assistants their jobs. Why does it want to spend more on replacing bricks and mortar elsewhere?

Turning attention to the much larger scheme, mention is made of a public square. Why do we need another public square when we already have the market square?

John Antill, Darlington.