Work on Washington’s new centre was all set to begin

Washington’s new centre will cost well in excess of £10million.

The Washington Development Corporation projects alone will cost £7million, said Mr L Marshall, Chief Finance Officer of the Corporation.

Stephen Holley, the General Manager of the Corporation, said that advanced work, costing £409,000, will start tomorrow.

The contract for the work had been awarded to W and C French, North View, Sherburn Hill, Durham City.

Mr Holley said that the attraction of the centre to the region would be that it was a comprehensive development.

“This is not just a shopping centre. It will inevitably happen that people come here from miles around. One of the main attractions will be the convenience for parking,” he said.

He was very confident that the centre would be a success. “The New Town is a winner,” he said.

Mr Holley went on: “We are injecting something new into the area. People in the surrounding districts are naturally apprehensive. Our expansion must be to some extent, at their expense.”

Brian Coles said that the fact that the departmental combine of Woolco were taking over one third of the first phase of the centre has proved an attraction for other large firms and the centre has not been advertised at all.