28/04/04 Darlington's Honeypot Lane travellers' site is to receive a further £312,210 to help complete a refurbishment programme which began last year. The money has been awarded by the Government as part of its Gypsy Refurbishment Grant Project and it comes in addition to £367,127 received from the same fund last year.
Work has already started on the construction of 14 new amenity blocks with kitchen, shower, toilet and storage space. The electricity and water supplies to the site are also being upgraded. A joint project between the Council, Sure Start and Darlington Primary Care Trust (PCT) in Darlington will see the creation of a new community facility on the site.
This year's grant will mean the provision of additional amenity blocks as well as improvements to all pitches.
Darlington Council is one of only two councils in England to be successful in bidding for a grant to provide a new transit and stopping place for travellers. A grant of £294,510 was received last year to provide the transit site alongside the main site to cater for ten pitches served with water and electrical supplies and communal shower and toilet facilities.
Chris McEwan, Darlington Council's Cabinet Member for Community Protection said:
"This is excellent news. The money, together with the substantial grant received last year, will help us to refurbish the site into one that is safer and more pleasant to live in. The Council has made a significant investment in the project and has worked in partnership with Sure Start and the local PCT to make it a viable success."