‘ Ugly’ plan backed in rail heritage area

A COUNCIL has approved a proposal to build “an ugly, nondescript building” just yards from historical properties it plans to spend millions of pounds giving a facelift to ahead of the 200th anniversary of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.

A scheme to demolish the Northgate Bedding Centre and replace it with 24 flats and two shops has been passed by Darlington Council just weeks after the authority submitted a bid to government for £ 25m for regeneration funding.

The authority wants to transform the Northgate House area, in partnership with the private sector, to create housing and commercial space and improved public green areas.

It also aims to use the funding to buy key properties in Northgate, a conservation area with ties to the world’s first passenger railway, to protect heritage assets and create mixed use space.

However, a planning meeting heard residents, the Friends of Stockton and Darlington Railway andtheauthority’sconservationofficer had criticised the proposed conversion, despite regarding the existing building as an eyesore.

Ward member Coun Eleanor Lister said: “Just because we have an ugly, nondescript building there now doesn’t mean to say we have to have another ugly nondescript building.”

But the meeting was told that councillors effectively had their hands tied by government planning policy as to refuse it on grounds of design they would have to prove the scheme would cause “substantial harm” to the area’s character.

Coun Charles Johnson added: “No- one will be prepared to build something on that site that is in tune with the architecture of the church. That is pie in the sky. We should not bury our heads in the sand and expect such a building.”