Spennymoor Festival Walk shopping regeneration plan

The council hopes the regeneration Festival Walk in Spennymoor will attract new businesses

Plans to spend thousands of pounds regenerating a run-down shopping area are to go before councillors.

Durham County Council proposes to buy and then demolish part of Festival Walk in Spennymoor town centre to replace it with a car park and new retail unit.

Remaining shops would be refurbished.

Council cabinet member for economic regeneration, Neil Foster, said the revitalisation would be "another big step forward in the regeneration of Spennymoor".

"By taking direct action, not only do we unlock a development that will be of huge benefit to Festival Walk but in a way that increases the parking to support the businesses and residents of the whole town, as well as making it more attractive to visitors," he said.

The council said 62% of the available floor space at Festival Walk was vacant

The centre's pervious owners, Castlemore, went into administration in 2009 and nearly two thirds of its capacity is now vacant, the council said.

Councillors are recommended to approve the plans and £600,000 council investment on Wednesday.