Town's new gateway plans and timescale unveiled

The plans involve areas around Gladstone Street

Plans to transform a town's gateway, including a timescale for new housing, have been unveiled.

An outline application for up to 205 homes, with some assisted care and specialist living accommodation, has been submitted for the site near Gladstone Street in Darlington.

Darlington Borough Council said it hoped the work would create a new gateway into the town centre from Northgate.

It said: "The redevelopment of this part of the town is considered to have the potential to have a transformative impact on the Northgate area of the town which has become separated from the town centre to the south."

The area around Kendrew Street Car Park West and the Conservative Club, referred to as zone A in planning documents, would have new three-storey residential blocks with commercial units on the ground floor.

Separate plans have been submitted to convert Dr Piper House into apartments, which borders Kendrew Street West, reports the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Eyesore building acquisition

Zone B, which is the area of Kendrew Street Car Park East, is also earmarked for homes.

Council documents said it was likely more units would be built here than in zone A, however the scale of them would be "driven by demand".

Again, three-storey accommodation blocks were proposed for this area.

Northgate East would form zone C of the development, with several businesses, restaurants, and hot food takeaways, the plans showed.

The council said for this development to work, Northgate House - a derelict tower block described as a hub for antisocial behaviour - would have to be demolished.

They are in talks with the owners of the building over its acquisition.

Up to 65 residential units have been proposed, though plans in this area are considered as the most flexible, documents showed.

The area may also be suitable for offices, medical services and community spaces.

The council said zones A and B would be prioritised in the first phase of development, with work on zone C to start at a later date "given the relative complexities of delivering that part of the scheme".