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Lingfield Point in Darlington is set to become one of the UK’s flagship urban renewal projects after planners gave the go-ahead for the £100million scheme at the former Paton & Baldwins wool factory.

Plans were submitted to Darlington Borough Council for the ambitious mixed-use scheme which will include 1,200 new ecohomes, public sports facilities, local shops and restaurants, a primary school, care home, medical centre as well as artists’ studios and allotments.

The proposals incorporate the latest green technology including a wind turbine and combined heat and power unit.    All new homes will be low energy attaining level 4 & 6 of the Code for Sustainable homes utilising solar thermal technology as well as grey water recycling.

Some of the country’s most exciting designers, including masterplanners Aukett Fitzroy Robinson and designers FAT (Fashion Architecture Taste) have helped create the landmark scheme.    The design concept retains and builds upon the unique character of the site.

Textile giants Patons & Baldwins built its new Darlington wool factory at Lingfield Point immediately after the Second World War with a vision to develop the most advanced production facility in Europe.

60 years later property regeneration company Marchday has transformed the manufacturing base into a dynamic, contemporary business community.   Over the last 10 years the company has invested over £35m in the regeneration of this important part of Darlington.  It has worked hard to change the perception of Lingfield Point from the dilapidated industrial estate it was 10 years ago into the thriving new business community it is today.

John Orchard, director of Marchday who has overseen the transformation of Lingfield Point, said:   “This is fantastic news for Lingfield Point, Darlington and the wider Tees Valley.  We currently have over 1,500 people working here and the number employed on site could eventually exceed the 4,500 employed in the wool factory's heyday.     We expect that a considerable number of people will live within walking distance of their work place.    There will also be employment opportunities over the coming years as the plans become reality.

“We have turned Lingfield Point into an exciting and trendy place to work and now we want to make this a fashionable and desirable place to live.  Nobody could have predicted the way that Lingfield Point has taken off over the last few years. We wanted the future to be visionary and we believe we have achieved that.”

ENDS

CONTACT: Caroline Walker on 01325 363436

Editor’s notes:

About Lingfield Point

Lingfield Point is a unique 107-acre business park created on a landmark historic industrial site next to the world’s first railway and previously home to Europe’s largest wool manufacturing plant.

A new £100 million masterplan will see the creation of a flagship sustainable mixed community built around the existing business community providing up to 1300 homes, sports facilities, a school, healthcare facilities and public green open space.

Business accommodation from 500 sq ft to 100,000 sq ft and above is available with plentiful car parking.

All buildings that have enjoyed extensive refurbishment over the past 5 years now offer an excellent standard of facilities. In the last six years the owners have converted more than 250,000 square feet of factory space into award-winning contemporary loft style offices which are now the workplace of about 1500 people.

Only 2 miles east of Darlington, Lingfield Point is located off Darlington’s new Eastern Transport Corridor, giving immediate access to the A66 (East/West) which in turn links to J57, A1(M) South, a couple of miles from the A167 which links to J59, A1(M) North.

Lingfield Point is now only minutes away from the region’s extensive road network; 5 minutes from Darlington train station – operating on the East Coast Mainline with over 30 trains per day to London (2 ½ hours)and Edinburgh and 4 miles from Durham Tees Valley airport.

Lingfield Point is one of the most accessible business parks in the North East with buses travelling to and from the town centre approximately every 10 minutes and connection to a fantastic cycle network that runs past Lingfield Point to a variety of destinations.

About Darlington

Darlington is a key administrative and commercial centre in the Tees Valley. The town has a successful a mixed economy providing a range of job opportunities, from owner-managed businesses to large nationally and internationally renowned companies.

The highly trained Darlington workforce has helped attract a number of major organisations including Four Seasons Health Care, Orange, Amec and Student Loans Company. Darlington enjoys a working population of over 1 million within a 30 mile radius. Over £35million has been invested in Darlington’s state of the art college which has a unique University centre where foundation degrees and professional courses are delivered. House prices are below the national average and class sizes have the lowest pupil to teacher ratio in the UK

The Tees Valley is a great place to live and work. In recent years over £500 million of investment has been attracted to the area and several thousand jobs created and secured. The area benefits from substantial grant assistance and business support programmes.

About the owners

Marchday plc has become specialists in the regeneration of challenging buildings through the use of creative ideas and outstanding customer care.    Marchday has owned Lingfield Point for 11 years.   Other properties include New Lodge in Windsor and Cavendish Square in Central London.

www.marchday.com

www.newlodge.co.uk