DARLINGTON NEWS
500 DIT JOBS SET FOR DARLINGTON
More government jobs are set to boost Darlington .
The Tees region ’ s tidal wave of good news continued with confirmation that the Department of International Trade ( DIT ) will be establishing a new satellite headquarters in Darlington , close to Treasury North .
Details of the new international trade hub followed the news that the Treasury will be relocating 750 of its staff to a new headquarters in Darlington .
The government has predicted that by 2030 , 500 DIT staff will be based at the new site .
Liz Truss , international trade secretary , said : “ I ’ m determined to use UK trade policy to benefit every part of the UK .
“ It will mean we can channel investment into all corners of the country , and that exporters – whether they ’ re selling Scotch beef , Welsh lamb or cars made in the north of England – have access to the expertise
they need to sell into the fastest-growing markets .”
Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen said : “ This announcement puts Teesside , Darlington and Hartlepool at the centre of UK trade policy like never before .
“ Make no mistake , the Department of International Trade is only coming here because we were able to secure the Treasury .
“ It ’ s not just civil service jobs that are coming here , we ’ re attracting interest from a host of major financial , law and accountancy firms who are now looking for offices here because they want to be close to government . It ’ s clear Darlington is entering a new boom time .
“ Having the Treasury and now the Department of International Trade coming here is not only good for the government , but it is also good for local jobs .”
Queen ’ s Award for dairy firm
Staff at a dairy farm are celebrating after being awarded a prestigious royal honour .
Acorn Dairy has won a Queen ’ s Award for Enterprise for sustainable development , thanks to its commitment to low-carbon , organic practices on its farm in Archdeacon Newton , near Darlington , and farming collaborations in North Yorkshire . The family business , which is run by directors Caroline Bell and her brother Graham Tweddle , has been farming since 1928 and converted to organic status in 1998 before launching deliveries two years later .
Station transformation moves a step closer
Plans for the multi-million-pound transformation of Darlington railway station took another major step forward as the formal planning application was submitted to Darlington Council .
The move came just weeks after Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen unveiled new images for the scheme , which will improve the frequency and reliability of services as well as connectivity along the East Coast Main Line and to other regional stations .
The £ 100m redevelopment will pave the way for a new platform , entrance , station building and upgrades to its transport links .
The overhaul has been spearheaded by mayor Houchen , who has provided a £ 25m investment .
EMPLOYABILITY PROJECT TO CONTINUE THANKS TO GRANT
A successful Darlington employability project that ’ s helping local people who lost their jobs due to the pandemic is set to continue thanks to a four-figure grant .
The Morrison Trust launched the programme in the autumn . Initial funding came through the National Lottery Coronavirus Community Support Fund and was for a fixed period .
But a £ 4,500 grant from Newcastle Building Society means it will be able to continue through the summer while the trust works towards putting it on a fully sustainable financial footing .
HIPPODROME TO RECEIVE £ 500,000 RECOVERY FUNDING
Darlington Hippodrome is among more than 2,700 recipients to benefit from the latest round of awards from the £ 1.57bn Culture Recovery Fund .
More than £ 300m has been awarded to thousands of cultural organisations across the country in the latest round of support .
The grant will help offset losses from cancelled productions , retain jobs , secure the long-term future of the theatre and secure the purchase of new state-of-the-art cinema screening equipment to facilitate an ever-expanding offer of events .
Over £ 800m in grants and loans has already been awarded to support almost 3,800 cultural organisations dealing with the challenges of the pandemic .
The voice of business in the Tees region | 125