TWO £20,000 regeneration projects in Darlington have been approved.

The preparation of advanced design work for the projects in Faverdale and the Darlington gateway was agreed by Darlington Borough Council's cabinet yesterday.

The projects have been funded with cash from the regional development agency One NorthEast.

The council made bids for the money through the Tees Valley Partnership, which has been set up to help revive the region's economy.

One of the projects which has won funding is to produce a development plan to improve Darlington as a gateway to the Tees Valley, by improving routes into the borough and the town centre by road and rail.

The local authority will also start its plans for preparing unused land on the Faverdale Industrial Estate for future development, including design work on proposed layouts and site plans.

Yesterday, the cabinet authorised the council's director of development and environment, John Buxton, to select consultants to carry out the preparation of design work on both of the projects. Council members will also release a further £20,000 from the One NorthEast Fund for work already under way on its project to extend Faverdale Industrial Estate and the Yarm Road Business Park.

The council also agreed to release £130,000 from the One NorthEast fund for projects being run by other organisations.

This included £110,000 to provide small business incubator units at Darlington College of Technology, aimed at developing small technology enterprises, with support from the college to encourage business ideas.

A Techworx Training and Work Skills Unit, a small business centre at Forge Way on Cleveland Industrial Estate, will also get £20,000 to train and develop the skills of people with learning disabilities.

This project aims to increase the participants' chances of being employed, while carrying out contract work for Thorn Lighting as a small business.

Mr Buxton said: "These projects will give a lot of benefit to Darlington, improving a number of areas where we have already started the work and encouraging and developing new businesses, which we very much need."