DARLINGTON NEWS
WORK BEGINS ON £ 8M INNOVATION CENTRE
Construction work has started on an £ 8m innovation centre at Central Park in Darlington .
Innovation Central will provide office space and laboratories and will support economic growth and job creation while increasing the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises .
Darlington Council has secured funding for the four-storey site with £ 4.7m from the European Regional Development Fund , £ 2.8m from the Tees Valley Mayor and Combined Authority , £ 480,000 from the government ’ s Getting Building fund , as well as £ 60,000 council funding .
Construction work by contractors Willmott Dixon is due to be completed in August 2022 .
The building will be operated by North East Business & Innovation Centre which runs the existing Business Central office space on Central Park .
Council leader Heather Scott said : “ We have begun the exciting work of creating
a modern and flexible workplace which will help businesses collaborate , innovate and grow .
“ Our investment into this centre will increase opportunities for local businesses , create quality jobs and generate the momentum needed to help the local economy bounce back .”
Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen said : “ I ’ m delighted that spades are now in the ground to make this new facility a reality , adding even more value to Central Park and Darlington .
“ CPI , Teesside University and its National Horizons Centre are already delivering world-leading research and innovation , helping us punch above our weight in the biosciences sector and make our mark locally , nationally and internationally .
“ This new space will deliver even more scope for growth in that sector , in turn creating more good-quality , well-paid jobs .”
Visit darlington . gov . uk .
Charity deal ready for take-off
Darlington Building Society has announced a charity partnership with Great North Air Ambulance Service ( GNAAS ) as part of a new affinity savings account that aims to make a real difference and give back to the local community .
For every High 5 Saver account opened , the society will donate £ 5 to GNAAS . It won ’ t cost account holders a penny and donations are being backdated to include all existing High 5 Saver accounts , with an initial donation of £ 605 .
The funds will help the charity , which relies entirely on charitable donations , to continue its lifesaving work .
Bosses brave the cold for a good cause
Tees Valley businesspeople braved the cold for a night to raise awareness of homelessness .
Thirty-four people took part in the CEO Sleepout at Darlington ’ s Northern Echo Arena and are on track to raise £ 25,000 .
The event was part of a national initiative that encourages businesspeople to help raise money to combat homelessness .
Those taking part in this year ’ s event included team members from Sirius Group and the CEO of Hogg Global Logistics , Lyndsay Hogg , whose brother Kevin flew over from Dubai to join her in the special event .
Training begins for next generation of bioscientists
A unique programme to develop the next generation of bioscientists has been launched .
The first cohort of the Life Sciences Manufacturing Academy saw students from Darlington College spend a week at Teesside University ’ s National Horizons Centre , hearing from their biotech experts and colleagues from CPI ’ s National Biologics Manufacturing Centre .
This was followed by a week working alongside staff from pharmaceutical manufacturer FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies .
The Life Sciences Manufacturing Academy , which has received £ 50,0000 funding from the Tees Valley Mayor and Combined Authority , is a partnership between the National Horizons Centre , CPI and FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies .
Green light for railway station ‘ gateway ’
A £ 105m transformation of Darlington railway station has moved a step closer after planning approval for the scheme ’ s “ eastern gateway ” was granted .
In June , formal planning applications for the eastern and western elements of the scheme were submitted to Darlington Council , with the scheme aiming to improve the frequency and reliability of services as well as connectivity along the East Coast Main Line and across the region .
Planning bosses have now approved the east side of the development , including a new entrance , station building , concourse and upgrade to its transport links .
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