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AYCLIFFETODAY
FEATURE
THE FUTURE’S BRIGHT
FOR AYCLIFFE
Councillor JOHN CLARE visited
the Aycliffe Today offices to talk to
reporter CHLOE McKENNA…
With the Town Centre looking
shiny and new and the prospect of
new homes and a nature reserve
on the horizon, local councilor John
Clare thinks that the future looks
bright for Newton Aycliffe.
John Clare – a Labour councillor
for Aycliffe Town and Durham County
councils – says “we need to think
before we build” when talking about
plans for three and four-bedroom
homes to be built on site ‘O’ at
Cobblers Hall.
Part of the planning process for
these new homes is to build large
swales to hold drainage water, which
will be part of the sustainable urban
drainage system (SUDS).
This “exciting development” will
create a great area of nature for
Newton Aycliffe, with the largest pond
taking up a quarter of the site.
The aim is to plant reeds and build
fencing to prevent danger to children
and ultimately attract wildlife such a
birds and ducks.
Aycliffe will be one of the first places
to use this draining system and it has
been in the planning since 1997. SUDS
works in a way which naturally allows
a great mass of water to be held
together in the pond and then drains
into the land over a course of hours;
which means our drainage systems
will not be overflowing and creating
problem flood areas.
There will be a naturally raised area
in the land, which John said will be to
turned into a viewing point, “so that
people can take their grandchildren
and appreciate the wildlife”.
As for the building of the new
homes, John said the main focus is
on two and three bedroom houses as
four-bed houses are in abundance on
the town.
As well as this exciting development
on housing in Aycliffe we have, of
course, got our newly-refurbished
town centre.
“We’re doing as well as we can be
with the town centre,” says John.
“However, people need to remember
that what you don’t use, you lose.
“The crucial part of Newton Aycliffe’s
town centre doing well is for people to
shop there, we need to keep our local
businesses open, and the only way to
do that is to use them.”
John went on to explain that Aycliffe
Business Park is integral for the town’s
success in the future.
“Industrial growth is where our
future is,” he said.
“I want to see businesses zing in
Aycliffe – I feel the future prosperity of
the town will depend on the success
of the business park.”
With new projects like Hitachi Rail
Europe and Emerald Biogas creating
employment on the business park
– and the likes of Finley Structures,
Ebac, Gestamp Tallent and Stiller
all doing well – the future is looking
bright for Newton Aycliffe.