FEATURE
Varied – Darlington Indoor Market is home to both street food vendors and traditional market stalls .
Bustling - a busy scene in Darlington town centre .
In October , a £ 105m redevelopment of Darlington Railway Station was approved , with Tees Valley Combined Authority , Darlington Borough Council , LNER and Network Rail coming together to deliver major improvements to the station .
Ian said : “ I ’ m delighted to say we ’ ve been able to persuade the government and Network Rail to carry out those significant works on the station in the next couple of years . It is recognised that the station is a fantastic gateway into Darlington and the wider Tees Valley .”
The Central Park development is fast becoming a premier business location , comprising a mixture of residential , commercial and educational developments . Also nearing completion is a new Hybrid Incubation facility offering a mix of office and laboratory space , suitable for a range of SMEs .
“ The university already has two key buildings at Central Park and the college has its home there ,” Ian says . “ Across the town , we are seeing a lot of steelwork coming out of the ground and developments being completed .”
Meanwhile , Darlington ’ s Centre for Process Innovation ( CPI ) has been in the news for its cutting-edge role in Covid vaccine research . But despite the success of the past year , the council and its many partners are not prepared to rest on their laurels .
“ We have got to build on that momentum ,” he says . “ You can ’ t stand still – as soon as you stand still , you go backwards .”
At the moment , that seems unlikely , as evidence abounds that people want to live in Darlington and be part of its success story .
New houses across 20 developments
in the town are “ selling like hot cakes ” according to Ian , who adds that Darlington ’ s high street has also avoided the type of demise witnessed across other towns in the past couple of years .
“ The pressure has been on town centres and high streets and the problems on the high street have been further exacerbated by Covid ,” Ian says .
“ But having more people wanting to live in your borough does mean you can develop a more independent retail sector , better nightlife and leisure .
“ All the positive announcements feed off one another and lead to more .”
On the back of this success , plans for town centre food and music festivals and an events programme are to be promoted through the Enjoy Darlington and # LoveDarlo brands .
Providing two hours of free car parking also makes Darlington more attractive to out-of-town visitors .
The council has recently upgraded the marketplace and the town centre ’ s historic areas – the wynds and the little yards , Ian says , “ were probably in need of some investment ”.
“ We ’ ve been able to brighten and freshen them up ,” he says .
“ The success of that has been more footfall in those areas and more independent retailers , restaurants and bars wanting to set up there .
“ There ’ s always empty property units on the high street , but what we are seeing is the smaller and medium-sized shops taking up these spaces quickly , with new people wanting to provide leisure , retail , restaurants and cafes .”
Ian acknowledges the borough needs to continue to support existing businesses if it is to grow .
Housebuilding has not only had an important role in creating a vibrant town and a place where families can thrive but , Ian says , it is also attracting the next generation of skilled people that businesses need .
“ If you can ’ t supply the skills for the future , businesses won ’ t stay ,” he says . “ It ’ s all about creating a good home and a good job for people .
“ The best thing you can do for people ’ s long-term health and vitality is to give them a good home and a good job .”
Now that the first Local Plan for Darlington since 1997 has been approved , Ian says further growth in a sustainable way is the only way forward .
“ We ’ ve got to move on , we ’ ve got to change and we ’ ve got to continue to grow . The approval of the Local Plan , which takes us to 2036 , gives certainty to residents and developers .”
Ian adds that the council ’ s work with landowners to attract major private investment also “ continues apace ”.
The town already benefits from major employers that are well-established names , such as Cummins and the Student Loans Company , BT and DfE , to name just a few .
Ian says : “ Around 4,000 businesses are registered in Darlington , representing a good mix of employers across many sectors .
“ Demand for office , manufacturing and logistics space is on the rise , as many businesses want to set up in Darlington . Darlington is acknowledged as a good place to live , work and play , with more and more businesses casting a discerning eye on what ’ s on offer . Darlington will only continue to grow and be successful .”
The voice of business in the Tees region | 31