DETAILS of the second garden village to be proposed for Darlington have been released by developers following last week’s funding announcement by the Government.

The Burtree Garden Village in Faverdale is expected to deliver 2,000 new homes built over a 15-year period as well 200,000 square metres of employment space.

The scheme is one of 19 large-scale developments in the country to have been granted the status on Thursday by The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Until the announcement, exact details about the proposal had never been published before but the developers behind the project believe it will bring thousands of jobs to the area as well as providing infrastructure improvements.

Plans for the town’s other garden village in Skerningham, on the northern outskirts of Darlington, featuring 4,500 homes, business premises, shops and leisure facilities, close to a controversial proposed link road, were first announced in 2017.

As part of the announcement, the government released £150,000 to help progress the design and delivery of both of the schemes – a total of £300,000 investment in the projects.

Work is expected to start on site in 2020 and the developer behind the scheme, Hellens Group, says that the Garden Village status will help the project to bring important economic, environmental and social benefits to the area.

Gavin Cordwell-Smith, chief executive of Hellens Group, said: “It is tremendous news that Central Government has taken the decision to support our ambitious vision to create a new Garden Village community at Faverdale.

“Burtree Garden Village will have a transformational impact on the local area bringing much-needed new homes and jobs.

“We now look forward to working with all of the key stakeholders to bring forward this high quality development which will offer an outstanding place to live and work.”

The Garden Communities initiative was launched by central Government in 2018 to help stimulate large scale new developments which will create sustainable communities for people to live and work.

Washington-based Hellens Group has been working with Darlington Borough Council to put together the design-led project which will include 500 new affordable homes.

With an emphasis on green spaces and high quality landscaping, Burtree Garden Village will incorporate the development of a care home, retail facilities and space for a new primary school.

Campaigners have vociferously opposed the plans for the Skerningham garden village and last week the town’s MP, Jenny Chapman, was less complimentary about the announcement saying local campaigners will be angry at the news.