PLANS to transform Darlington town centre’s tallest building into high-rise housing have come to a standstill.

Developers previously lodged plans with Darlington Borough Council to create 71 flats, previously 106, in Northgate House, which was built in 1976, consists of nine floors, and has housed companies and government agencies.

However, it was rejected by councillors last year and any future developments are now in doubt, The Northern Echo can today reveal.

Read more: Grand masterplan for Northgate in Darlington

The prior approval application had “a significant under provision of car parking and cycle parking which could cause significant displacement of existing residents or businesses who are reliant upon on street parking which will impact the local highway,” a decision notice ruled.

The housing proposal was one of many for the building overlooking the town centre, several of which have been approved without undergoing the normal planning process.

It was also claimed the application contained “insufficient information” on the impact of noise or the provision of adequate natural light.

In 2014 the asset management company responsible for the building on the edge of Darlington town centre gained consent to build 50 one and two-bedroom flats.

Two years later planning consent was granted to transform the vacant office block into a hotel and a scheme to create a 129-bedroom Hilton by Hampton hotel was tabled in 2018.

While the building has been empty it has become the focus of antisocial behaviour and safety concerns, including police appealing to youths to stop free running on the 131ft building’s roof.

The Northern Echo: Darlington Borough Council revealed some of its ideas for how a masterplan for the Northgate area of the town could be regeneratedDarlington Borough Council revealed some of its ideas for how a masterplan for the Northgate area of the town could be regenerated

In July last year it was revealed bringing the increasingly run-down building back into use was part of regeneration plans for the Northgate area, with the council said to be considering using a compulsory purchase order to buy it.

“It’s one of the options,” Towns Fund manager Chris Mains said. “If someone else comes along with the right development then that’s another option.”

For now, however the derelict building continues to stand empty. A spokeswoman for Darlington Council said: “At the moment there are no further plans for Northgate House.

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