Proposals
The Council's Town Centre Development Strategy seeks, as its first development priority, to achieve a shopping centre development at Commercial Street. By creating larger shop units than currently exists in the town centre, the development would aim to attract new retailers to Darlington and so bring in spending from the catchment area that is currently being lost from the town centre.
Discovery Properties Ltd has been selected as preferred developer by the Council to take the development forward.
The Site
The site chosen for this development comprises the existing surface car parks at Commercial Street and Kendrew Street. The proposed new centre, to be known as "The Oval", will be built on the site of the existing Commercial Street car parks and will be linked to the existing Queen Street Shopping Centre. A multi-storey car park, providing 900 parking spaces is to be provided on the site of the existing Kendrew Street car parks, linked to the shopping centre by a pedestrian bridge and at grade pedestrian crossing over St Augustine's Way. The north and west elevations of the multi-storey car park will be flanked with residential development, providing 26 one and two bedroom apartments.
Part of the land is owned by the Council, part by others.
Current Status
A detailed planning application was submitted in September 2006 for the proposed shopping centre and multi-storey car park. The application was considered by the Planning Applications Committee on 10 January 2007. In view of the amount of retail floorspace proposed, the application was referred to the Secretary of State (Government Office for the North East). Confirmation that the Secretary of State did not wish to intervene in determining the application, planning permission was granted on 2 February 2007.
The main components of the approved development are as follows:
Commercial Street site:
- 22,100 square metres of retail shopping floor space over two floors, anchored by a department store;
- 6,000 square metres of leisure floor space on the third floor, anchored by a 9-screen cinema and associated food and drink uses (2 other leisure uses unknown at present);
- Winter Garden, a glazed atrium feature providing a café and public exhibition space at eastern end of development, adjacent to department store;
- Development linked by a pedestrian bridge over St Augustine's Way;
- New signalised junction into the car park from St Augustine's Way and at grade pedestrian crossing over St Augustine's Way linking the car park and shopping centre.
Kendrew Street site:
- 6-level multi-storey car park providing 799 car parking spaces (including disabled spaces and parent and child spaces);
- 26 apartments on Gladstone Street and King Street facing elevations of the multi-storey car park;
- Parking for apartments provided in basement level of multi-storey car park accessed off Gladstone Street.
Documents
The following documents can be viewed or downloaded:
More plans showing details of the scheme can be viewed at the Customer Service Centre (see Visiting Us).
Planning Applications
Planning applications associated with the scheme (and earlier versions of the scheme) are as follows:
| Date |
Brief Description |
Reference No. |
Application Details |
| 24/04/2003 |
Erection of a building as an extension to the Queen Street Centre for A1 (shopping) A3 (food & drink) & D2 (assembly & leisure) purposes with roof top parking & a separate multi-storey car park with a link bridge (additional report 2.9.03). |
03/00456/OUT |
Decision details (new window) |
| 23/04/2004 |
Amendment to approved outline planning permission for extension to Queen St Shopping Centre and associated car parking, to include enlarged retail area by incorporating 10 & 12 Union St (amended plans & additional reports received 28/4/04). |
04/00388/OUT |
Decision details (new window) |
| 26/09/2006 |
Erection of an extension to Queen Street Shopping Centre comprising new retail and leisure uses (Use Classes A1, A3 and D2) on site of Commercial Street car parks, construction of pedestrian bridge over St Augustine's Way and erection of multi storey car. |
06/00953/FULE |
Decision details (new window) |
| 23/08/2007 |
Erection of an extension to Queen St Shopping Centre comprising new retail and leisure uses on site of Commercial Street car parks and construction of pedestrian bridge over St Augustine’s Way leading to approved MSC park etc. |
07/00869/FUL |
Application details (new window) |
Further Information
For more information, please use one of the following contact points:
| E-mail: |
|
planning.control@darlington.gov.uk |
| Telephone: |
|
01325 388588 |
| Fax: |
|
01325 388616 |
| Write to: |
|
Town Hall, Darlington, DL1 5QT. |
| Personal visit: |
|
Customer Service Centre, Town Hall (please make an appointment beforehand) |
Last updated - 05/11/2007