Thriving – Darlington is home to a diverse range of growing businesses .
Darlington Borough Council chief executive Ian Williams .
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Historic town on track for even brighter future
Darlington
Darlington Borough Council chief executive Ian Williams ( pictured ) outlines exciting times ahead for the town .
Welcome to Darlington , a vibrant town at the gateway to North-East England , where opportunity and prosperity thrive ! If you ' re looking to expand your business , invest in a growing economy , or start a new venture , Darlington is the place to be , and here ' s why …
Historically known for its pioneering role in the railway industry , Darlington has transformed into a modern economic hub with a mix of traditional manufacturing and commercial industries together with growing , innovative science and technology sectors .
Darlington ' s economic story is deeply rooted in its industrial heritage . The town is famously known for the Stockton and Darlington Railway , the world ' s first passenger railway to use steam locomotives , which began operations in 1825 .
As part of the forthcoming 200th year anniversary celebrations in 2025 , an exciting new interactive visitor attraction , Hopetown Darlington , is opening to celebrate the role of the railways and Darlington ' s story of engineering , ideas and invention .
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This pioneering spirit laid the foundation for Darlington ' s industrial growth - a spirit that is still evident today .
Over the decades , Darlington has diversified its economic base . It is now home to a range of businesses , from traditional industries to new economic sectors such as digital and creative , and more recently medicine development and bio pharma . Physically , Darlington ’ s landscape is changing too .
Take the emerging Darlington Science Park at Central Park in Darlington , once abandoned rail sidings but now transformed into a 30-hectare science and technology park that ’ s key to the town ’ s future commercial success . A mix of housing , education and commercial developments , it ’ s
Developments – Yarm Road Industrial Estate is part of Darlington ’ s changing landscape . home to exciting developments such as the National Biologics Manufacturing Centre , which is a world-leader in next generation life sciences and vaccine development . Then there ’ s Teesside University ’ s National Horizons Centre , a UK centre of excellence for training and innovation for the biosciences and healthcare sector . Readyto-build plots within the Darlington Science Park are now available for science-based businesses looking to have a footprint in the region .
Darlington benefits from an excellent transport infrastructure and great connectivity , which are key enablers of economic growth . The town is wellconnected by road , with the A1 ( M ) motorway providing easy access to major cities like Newcastle , Leeds and London , while Teesside International Airport offers a mix of domestic and international flights , and the East Coast Main Line ensures efficient rail links north and south , with regular services reaching London in just two and a half hours .
A recent £ 105m investment in upgrading Darlington ’ s main railway station will