One of the region's leading construction companies has been chosen as the main contractor for Darlington's Morton Palms office and leisure development.
Newcastle's Metnor Construction will be lead contractor on the £7.5m first phase of the project.
Metnor, which will also act as joint developer on the scheme with appointed developer City and Northern, will start work in mid-November. The project will last about 40 weeks.
The firm plans to employ 40 people on-site during the construction phase - more than half will be recruited locally.
It will also be looking for sub-contractors to work on the site, which is next to the A66, opposite Morton Park. Newcastle developer City and Northern is overseeing the project.
Phase One will create two four-storey office buildings with more than 70,000sq ft of space to let.
One block will comprise 38,110sq ft with 137 parking spaces. The second building will have 32,257sq ft with 108 parking spaces.
The buildings will accommodate up to 700 staff.
The first tenants at what will become the first comprehensive business park to be developed in Darlington are expected to be in their offices by the autumn next year.
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