People asked to help shape future of town centre
PAPeople are being asked by their local authority to help decide how their town centre should look in the future.
Darlington Borough Council said it wanted to reflect changing shopping habits, the growth of online retail and the lasting impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in its approach to the town centre.
The 10-week consultation runs until 11 September and will gather views from residents and businesses.
Councillor Chris McEwan, cabinet member for economy, said: "The consultation is a unique and rare opportunity to get involved and shape how your town centre will look, feel and be used for many years to come."
According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, council bosses said the updated strategy would guide how it worked with partners and businesses to ensure the town centre remained "an attractive, vibrant and useable space" for people to live, work, learn and spend their leisure time.
McEwan said the town was undergoing one of the "most significant periods of transformation" in its history and it was experiencing a surge in economic growth, regeneration and investment.
"There is no better time to refresh our strategy and for that we need your help," he said.
'Adapting to trends'
McEwan said the council wanted to understand how people used the town centre and how they would use it in the future.
A refreshed strategy would build on recent investment, he said, which had exceeded £230m, and ensure the town centre continued to adapt to changing trends.
Among the projects highlighted by the council were the restoration of the Hippodrome, the redevelopment of the library and the improvements to Darlington railway station.
