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New homes planned in Darlington

A housing association has received the go-ahead to build its biggest development in recent history, which will include the conversion of an historic railway building in Darlington.

Railway Housing Association will soon start work on 73 new affordable homes on a site just off Haughton Road, opposite Darlington College of Technology.

There will be a mixture of two and three-bedroom houses, two-bedroom bungalows and one-bedroom apartments, with the properties being let to young people, couples, families and older people in housing need.

The homes will be built close to the historic 1825 Darlington to Stockton Railway Line and an engine shed built in 1844 will be incorporated into the development.

The shed, which was situated at the Newcastle and Darlington junction of the old railway, has listed building status so it will be sympathetically converted into 7 mews-type houses.

Andrea Abbott, Railway Housing Association’s Director of Customer Services, said: “We were keen not to lose the heritage of such an important site. In response to comments made by the friends of the 1825 Darlington & Stockton Railway during the planning process, the design of the scheme was revised so the homes are not built on the actual route of the railway. It was also important to preserve the engine shed because of its listed status as it has fallen into disrepair. It is only giving this building a purpose that would ensure it is preserved in the future.

“The whole development, including the engine shed, will have an industrial feel in keeping with the site’s historic past and at the same time we will be building modern, energy efficient homes that will be enjoyed by future generations.

“At a cost of just over £8 million for 73 homes, this represents one of the biggest developments in the recent history of the Association and with our links to the railway, it is fitting that this will take place near a site with such historic worldwide importance.”

It is expected that the first phase of 48 homes will be completed by December 2017, with the final stage of 25 homes completing in spring 2018.

The Friends of Darlington of the 1825 Stockton and Darlington Railway are seeking to achieve World Heritage Status for the line in time for its bicentenary in 2025.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Neil Shaefer .