'Ambitious' regeneration plans for town centre

The former Aruba nightclub would be demolished and the site redeveloped

"Large and ambitious" regeneration plans for Darlington town centre have been revealed by the council.

Proposals are for residential, mixed-use and office-led commercial developments covering the Kendrew Street, East Street and Commercial Street areas

It is aimed at convincing investors and businesses that Darlington is the right location for them and their employees. 

The authority also hopes to appoint a private development partner to provide expertise on the project over 10 to 15 years.

Included in the plans is the demolition of the former Aruba nightclub, with the former Wilko store also demolished or repurposed into a retail and leisure space.

Meanwhile, the former Northern Echo building has been bought and work has started to turn it into an Adult Training Hub on the ground floor with office space above.

The former Wilko store could be demolished or repurposed

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said a meeting of the council's cabinet was told it was “a large and ambitious regeneration initiative”, the like of which had not been seen since the town centre remodelling works in the 1960s and 80s.

It acknowledged there were challenges with downturns in retailing and business trends resulting in what once were quality high street shops becoming empty or accommodating secondary or low-grade uses.

However, Councillor Mandy Porte, cabinet member for resources, said: “We need to be ambitious in our plans and we believe that it’s the best option for the development of the town."