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Welcome to this month’s magazine for Darlington Borough Welcome to the December edition of Darlington Together. This is the last issue of the year and what better time than any to take a look back at the year. And what a year it’s been. The Civic Theatre celebrated fantastic news as it received more than £5m to help maintain its position as a key arts venue in the region.
The festive season is now in full swing as the Christmas lights brighten the streets and a full programme of events and Christingle markets put us in the mood for Christmas. I hope you will take some time to sample what’s on offer and support local businesses – times are tough on the DECEMBER high street and they need your support. Take advantage of our new Park and Ride service and help our town centre thrive and survive.
The sky line of Darlington has seen dramatic changes with the Department for Education (DfE) offices now almost complete and Business Central and the Biologics Centre well underway. This time next year you will be able to see the latest festive blockbuster at the new multi-screen cinema as work started on the long-awaited cinema and leisure complex. Many of these things have come about because of the hard work and dedication of council workers, councillors and our partners - well done to everyone. Read all about the headlines for the year in our special round-up on pages 23 – 25.
It only leaves me now to wish you all a wonderful Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous 2015. Cllr Bill Dixon MBE (@BillDixonDton) Leader of the Council
Every day I hear of local people who go that extra mile to help others in the community or who have excelled in sports and education. If you know someone special who deserves recognition, nominate them for a Best of Darlington award. See page 18 for details.
MP’s surgeries Jenny Chapman: MP for Darlington. Walk-in surgery will be held on 5 and 19 December from 9:30 - 10:30am at the Constituency Office, 40a Coniscliffe Road, Darlington, DL3 7RG. E-mail: jenny.chapman.mp@parliament.uk Call: 01325 382345
Phil Wilson: MP for Sedgefield. The office is open between Monday to Friday, 9.30am - 5pm. Appointments can be arranged by calling 01325 321603 or e-mail phil.wilson.mp@parliament.uk
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NEWS IN BRIEF • NEWS IN BRIEF • NEWS IN New food regulations
Best of Darlington
Did you know that from Saturday 13 December businesses must give information to their customers about the ingredients contained in the foods they sell or produce?
Do you know someone who has contributed to the community, economy, arts, education or sports this year? If you do, nominate them for a Best of Darlington award!
These regulations will help make food labels clearer and improve allergy information for customers.
Download a nomination form from www.darlington.org.uk or collect one from the Customer Contact Centre in the Town Hall.
For more information visit: www.darlington.gov.uk/foodlabelling
The closing date for nominations is Saturday 31 January.
Make a PACT Police and Communities Together (PACT) meetings are where you can tell the Police what their priorities should be. If you can’t attend a meeting, you can still get involved by contacting your local policing team. To find out more, call 101 or visit the Durham Constabulary website: www.durham.police.uk We also promote the meetings on www.darlington.gov.uk/events
Banish the booze this January
Walking in a winter wonderland
Following on from the success of last year’s Dry January, we’ll be taking part again in 2015.Visit www.dryjanuary.org.uk for more information and to sign up.
Join the Move More team for free Wednesday walks at 10am over the winter. Walk leaders will take you on different routes each week – for more information and locations contact movemore@darlington.gov.uk or call 01325 254370. Dress for the weather and bring suitable footwear.
News about Northgate There is a new Facebook page for residents of Northgate Ward, run by members of the community. Get involved and find out more about what’s happening where you live. Visit www.facebook.com/darlingtonnorthgatewardtogether for more information.
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IN BRIEF • NEWS IN BRIEF • NEWS IN BRIEF
Show off your Christmas decorations and win a family pantomime ticket! Show off your shiniest Christmas trees, lights and decorations with a pantomime-themed photo competition. Darlington Civic Theatre is offering a family ticket for its Christmas pantomime ‘The Chuckles of Oz’ for the photo with the most ‘likes’ on www.facebook.com/darlingtonboroughcouncil The theme of the competition is ‘Chuckles of Oz’ – which means entries should have a ‘Wizard of Oz’ theme – anything from ruby-red tinsel, golden stars, emerald baubles and shimmering fairy lights.
To enter, email your photo to communications@darlington.gov.uk (one entry per person), including a name and contact phone number by Monday 15 December.Voting will open on Facebook on Tuesday 16 December, with voting running until Tuesday 23 December. The winner will be announced on Christmas Eve. For more information, visit www.darlington.gov.uk/christmasphotocomp To find out more about this years pantomime, visit www.darlingtoncivic.co.uk
CONTACT US www.darlington.gov.uk
STREET SCENE www.darlington.gov.uk/streetscene
customerservices@darlington.gov.uk Did you know we’re also on social media? Follow us on Twitter (@darlingtonbc) and give us a ‘like’ on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ darlingtonboroughcouncil)
COUNCIL TAX www.darlington.gov.uk/counciltax HOUSING BENEFIT AND COUNCIL TAX SUPPORT www.darlington.gov.uk/benefits HOUSING AND REPAIRS www.darlington.gov.uk/housing HIGHWAYS,TRANSPORT, PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH www.darlington.gov.uk
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Feeling festive i The town centre lights are now on, the advent calendar chocolates have started to be eaten and the tree decorations are being taken out of the garage and the loft – it can only be the start of Christmas! This page will be your guide to Christmas in Darlington – don’t forget there’s more information on our website too: www.darlington.gov.uk/christmas
Christingle Market Thursday 4, 11 and 18 December – 10am to 8pm – Darlington Town Centre Shop for unique gifts, enjoy the entertainment and try some tasty food! Stalls will be open until 8pm in the evening so come and enjoy some late-night Christmas shopping!
Christmas Wonderland ice rink Saturday 6 December – Sunday 4 January – Darlington Town Centre The ice rink returns to Darlington Town Centre for lots of festive fun! £5 for children, £6 for adults, £19 family ticket – all tickets include skate hire and can be purchased from Dolphin Centre reception.Visit www.distinctdarlington.co.uk for more information and opening times.
The Chuckles of Oz Saturday 6 December – Sunday 11 January – Civic Theatre Join Children’s TV stars The Chuckle Brothers who return by popular demand for this year’s spectacular Darlington pantomime, The Chuckles of Oz.Visit www.darlingtoncivic.co.uk to book your tickets – or check out page 19 for a chance to win a free family ticket!
Christmas at the Denes Sunday 7 December – 1 to 4pm – Tennis Dene Stalls, live music, mulled wine and mince pies in the park.
Santa at the Station Saturday 13, Sunday 14, Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 December – 10am to 4pm – Head of Steam Meet Santa in our magical grotto and receive a Christmas present. Entertainment includes a mini-train ride, arts and crafts. Entrance fee applies and booking is essential – call 01325 460532 to book.
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Christmas Crafts Wednesday 10 December – 10am to noon – Crown Street Library Festive crafts for kids – £1 per child.
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e in Darlington! Parking is as easy as One, Two, FREE this Christmas! There’s plenty of choice for parking in the town centre this Christmas – making Darlington the perfect place to get your Christmas food and gifts, as well as those last-minute essentials!
An hour’s free parking – if you pay for two or more hours in council-run car parks in the run-up to Christmas, you will get an extra hour free – that’s as little as £1 for three hours.
50p an hour – parking charges have been reduced to 50p an hour at: East Street, Garden Street, Archer Street and Chesnut Street car parks.
Pay £1 all day on Saturdays – A park and ride is running on Saturdays from Darlington College. Park for £1 all day and get return bus tickets to the town centre for you and up to four passengers on Arriva services 1, 9 and 10. With buses running every five minutes, it’s the perfect place to park your sleigh! For a full map of car parks in Darlington visit: www.darlington.gov.uk/carparking
Changes to services
There will be changes to services over Christmas and New Year.
For more information visit www.darlington.gov.uk/alerts or follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/darlingtonboroughcouncil) or Twitter (www.twitter.com/darlingtonbc)
The Customer Services Centre is closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Darlington Markets will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. The Register Office is closed from Christmas Day to the 29 December as well as New Year’s Day. The Household Waste Recycling Centre is closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Visit our Revised Weekly Collection pages (26 and 27) to find out more about changes to refuse and recycling collection over Christmas and New Year.
Library times over the Christmas holidays will change – for more information visit www.darlington.gov.uk/libraries
Head of Steam will be closed on Monday 22 and Tuesday 23 December, Christmas Day. Boxing Day, Monday 29 December, Tuesday 30 December and New Year's Day.
There will be changes to transport services over Christmas and New Year – visit www.travelinenortheast.info or call 0871 200 22 33.
Visit www.darlington.gov.uk/christmas to find a full list of events, or check out our ‘What’s On’ on pages 38 and 39.
If you would like to add your event to our website, email communications@darlington.gov.uk with the details.
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Spotlight on...
Part Four Darlington’s Secret Superheroes Young people can go into foster care at any age for many reasons. This month we’re focusing on ‘staying put’ placements where young people stay with their foster family after they reach the age of 18.
A ‘staying put’ placement gives a young person extra time to prepare for living independently in a safe place and allows them to leave when they are ready to make the transition. It also helps them to start adult life with the same opportunities and life skills as everyone else. The foster carer, with support from the Council’s family placement team, can help them to prepare for adult life by teaching skills like cooking and budget management.
We spoke to Carol Dixon who, with husband Andy, is currently hosting a ‘staying put’ placement with an 18 year old who she has been fostering for three years. “Anna* initially came to stay with us as an emergency placement when she was 15. She very quickly gelled with our family and friends, so when I was asked if she could stay put after 18 I was happy to help. “Not many 18 year olds are ready to make their own way in life, and parents don’t kick out their children as soon as they reach 18, a young adult coming out of foster care is no different. It’s great to have the extra time to teach Anna how to be an adult. “When I first started fostering I focused on children between the ages of five and 12, teenagers didn’t even cross my mind, but having older children is very rewarding. I think it can be hard at first because teenagers come across like they’re ‘not bothered’, but it’s a front, and really they just find it hard to trust. Sometimes all it takes is one person to give a teenager a chance and it can turn their life around. “You can have a big effect on someone’s life whatever age they are; I hope that more people in Darlington will start to give teenagers a chance.” To find out more visit: www.darlington.gov.uk/fostering or contact the Family Placement Service on 01325 388077 or fostering@darlington.gov.uk
Carol with her Grandchildren Jayden and Tilly *name has been changed to protect identity
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Review of the year – 2014 With only weeks until the start of 2015, now is a good time to look back and reflect on the past year in Darlington... and what a year it’s been!
Work has progressed on Central Park and the doors are set to open for business at Business Central, whilst close by, work started on the ground-breaking Biologics centre.
Developments in and around the centre of Darlington have begun to transform the town with major work on the inner ring road, the new Department for Education (DfE) offices and the start of work on the new multi-screen cinema and leisure complex.
Headline-grabbing stories include a new children’s theatre for Darlington and a multi-million pound regeneration of the Civic Theatre. Here we take a snap-shot look at the past year…
JANUARY – The year got off to a dry start as residents were encouraged to sign up for Dry January – agreeing not to drink alcohol for the whole month. The Council worked with Pubwatch and pubs around the town centre to arrange a ‘Driday’ night out with alcohol-free cocktails. Later in the year the Council was named Alcohol Concern’s ‘Dry January 2014 Council of the Year’ for its work in promoting alcohol awareness. The Sports Winners Scheme winners were also announced in January – celebrating Darlington residents who participated in, coached and assisted sports in the town FEBRUARY – The doors opened at the MASH (The Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub), a new first point of contact for anyone who is worried about the safety or well-being of a child or adult. Work started on the new Stonebridge roundabout junction – a project which will see the removal of Stonebridge roundabout, improving the flow of traffic in the town and opening up the town centre. Residents witnessed an ancient traditional welcoming ceremony as the new Bishop of Durham – The Right Reverend Paul Rodger Butler – was welcomed to Darlington and Durham in February. MARCH – Work started on Business Central – an innovative new building that will house up to 64 businesses in Darlington, as well as provide one-stop support services. A Town Centre Conference was held to help businesses take advantage of the investment planned for Darlington town centre. Topics such as empty units, leisure and the night-time economy were covered.
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APRIL – Darlington’s new Customer Service Centre officially opened its doors – a one-stop shop for advice from the Council, Citizen’s Advice Bureau and Darlington Credit Union. More than 70 soldiers from 32 Signal Regiment exercised their Freedom in Darlington town centre to mark the renewal of the ceremonial honour given to the Regiment by the Borough. The event marked the 45th Anniversary year of the Freedom and coincided with the centenary commemoration of World War 1.
Review of the year – 2014
MAY – Lots of events took place in May – bringing thousands of people into the town. Highlights included Love Your Local Market, Jabberwocky Market, The Distinctly Delicious Food Festival and the Curry Cook-off. Darlington Arts Festival returned to the town whilst the ever-popular Vintage Vehicle Rally saw hundreds come to the Head of Steam Railway Museum.
JUNE – It was time to fly the flag for Armed Forces Day as a hundred local school children took part in a special ceremony in Darlington Market Square. Runners and walkers showed cancer who was boss at Race for Life in South Park whilst keen cyclists took to two wheels as the Mayor welcomed the return of the Border Bike Ride. The town was ‘Dancing in the Street’ as Darlington Community Carnival came to town at the end of the month – with dancing, music and entertainment – all proceeds going to the Dogs Trust.
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JULY – Sun, sand and sea were the order of the day as Darlington by the Sea made a welcome return. Celebrations were in order as North-East children and young people’s theatre company, Theatre Hullabaloo were awarded £1.5 million from Arts Council England to help them realise their vision of a child-centred theatre, the first outside of London. South Park and West Cemetery & Crematorium also celebrated as they kept their Green Flag Awards, placing them amongst the best parks and green spaces in the country.
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Golf lovers welcomed the return of the English Senior Open to Rockliffe Hall and there was a party in Darlington Market Square on Bank Holiday Monday as ‘Tributes in the Market Square’ came to the town, with tributes to acts such as ABBA, Take That, Olly Murs and Dolly Parton.
SEPTEMBER – Venues across the town opened their doors as part of Heritage Open Day, where people could take tours of Head of Steam, Crown Street Library and the Civic Theatre. Darlington's new cinema and leisure complex got underway and the Festival of Thrift returned to Lingfield Point for the second year, with over 40,000 people flocking to the two-day event. OCTOBER – Jabberwocky Market returned to the town for more arts and theatre activities across the town, and the Civic Theatre celebrated receiving support for a £5 million bid from the Heritage Lottery Fund, money which will be used to restore the theatre, provide better disabled access and improve backstage areas. The Healthy Darlington Hub opened its doors in October – based in the Dolphin Centre, the hub is a one-stop-shop for healthy eating and fitness advice.
Review of the year – 2014
AUGUST – A record 1750 people tied up their trainers and took part in the Darlington 10k run, where Commonwealth Games athlete Kate Avery set a new women’s course record, and Paralympian Wondiye Fikre Indelbu won the men’s race for the second year in a row.
NOVEMBER – Darlington residents remembered those who perished in war with a range of events – from the traditional memorial service at Holy Trinity Church, to Homecoming, a commemorative theatrical event which recreated life in World War One in the Tees Valley. Residents were also invited to knit poppies to go on display at Head of Steam to commemorate the North Eastern Railway workers who lost their lives in the war. Christmas came to town with the Christmas Light switch on, Reindeer Parade and Christmas Market. DECEMBER – It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas as the ‘Chuckles of Oz’ takes to the stage at the Civic Theatre, the ice rink returns to the market square and Santa returns to the Head of Steam. Find out more about what’s happening over Christmas on pages 20 and 21.
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Revised Weekly Collection What can and can’t be recycled? YES PLEASE
Plastic bottles, yoghurt pots, butter tubs, plastic containers and food trays Paper including: magazines, junk mail, brochures, envelopes Card and cardboard including: cereal boxes, egg boxes, greetings cards, cardboard boxes
Juice cartons
Steel and aluminium food and drinks cans Aerosols
Aluminium tin foil
Glass bottles and jars
Rinse out your tins, cans, jars and bottles before you recycle them – they don’t have to be spotless, just give them a rinse under the tap. You don’t need to take the labels off. You can leave the lids on plastic bottles – but squash the bottle first.
NO THANKS Plastic bags
Polystyrene
Paint and oil cans Garden waste Food waste
Crisp packets
General household waste Your recycling containers will not be collected if they are contaminated by these materials.
If you have extra bulky cardboard, place it at the side of your recycling bin or box and we’ll collect it.
Frequently asked questions Here are some of the most frequently asked questions we have been asked about Revised Weekly Collection:
Can I have an additional recycling bin/box? Yes, if you have additional recycling we’ll be happy to give you an extra container. Email customerservices@darlington.gov.uk with your details and we’ll send one out to you.
I have a sticker on my bin/box saying that my recycling has been contaminated. What does that mean? This means that you have put the wrong materials in a container – for example you have put things that cannot be recycled in your recycling box, bag or bin. It’s important that the right materials are put in the right container, otherwise we can’t recycle them. The sticker will explain what has been put in the wrong container. Check out the list of items that can and can’t be recycled at the top of this page.
What time do collections start? Refuse and recycling can be collected from 7am – please make sure your refuse and recycling containers are placed out for collection by then.
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Changes over Christmas and New Year Please see the back page of this magazine for changes to your Christmas and New Year collections.You can also check your date by visiting www.darlington.gov.uk/rwc Don’t forget that Christmas cards and wrapping paper can be recycled – put them in your caddy (if you are on scheme A) or your card and paper recycling bag (if you are on scheme B). You’ll be able to recycle your Christmas tree in January – check out next month’s magazine for a list of places to take your tree.
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Revised Weekly Collection started in Darlington in October. These pages will help remind you what you can and can’t recycle as part of this new service, and what recycling containers to use.
New Recycling Bin
Scheme B
New Green Box
New Caddy
Existing Green Box
Existing Blue Bag
Existing Green Box
Revised Weekly Collection
Scheme A
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Welcome to the future of volunteering Have you ever wondered how voluntary organisations across the UK match up potential volunteers with volunteering opportunities? There is now a new and exciting way of accessing volunteering opportunities in Darlington – MIRUS. Signing up to MIRUS is easy, using our VolunteerUs section. Tell us a little about what you like and if volunteering opportunities which match your interests come up, we’ll email you.You can apply directly through MIRUS, and then the volunteer organisation will get in touch with you to make the necessary arrangements. Our FindUs directory allows you to search directly for volunteer and community organisations, by location, type of organisation, and the groups that the organisation works on behalf of. The list is continually being updated and can be searched on computers, tablets and mobile phones, so you can check for volunteering opportunities on the go!
Volunteer organisations can use MIRUS to manage all their volunteers and opportunities, uploading new opportunities directly onto the system and checking to see who is volunteering on any given day. MIRUS is simple to use and has thousands of volunteering opportunities available... It’s the only place you need to be!
Did you know? There are 19.8 million volunteers across the United Kingdom? 492 volunteer organisations in Darlington are already on our FindUs directory. MIRUS has been designed and developed by eVOLution. Want to know more about MIRUS? Email mirushelp@evolutiondarlington.com or give volunteering a try at www.mirus.org.uk
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Have a safe, happy, healthy Christmas... The festive season is a great time for fun but make sure alcohol doesn’t spoil it. A family row, a trip to hospital or even an unscheduled meeting with the Police can have consequences that last long after the holiday season. It’s a sad fact that domestic violence tends to increase around Christmas time and that alcohol can be a contributing factor. Val Mitchell – A survivor of domestic abuse, whose husband drank heavily, tells us her story to encourage others to get help if they are suffering from abuse. “I was a victim of domestic abuse for 23 years.Verbal, then physical abuse started a month after I got married and continued even when I was pregnant. I was isolated from my family and friends, felt worthless and had no self-respect. I was too scared and ashamed to call the Police - I thought they wouldn’t believe me. My wakeup call was when my daughter, then aged 12, after an incident, said she felt sorry for me.That prompted me to contact the Citizens Advice Bureau, who contacted the refuge for me. I also contacted the Police for support after incidents of abuse. My children and I went to stay in the Refuge where the staff listened, supported, encouraged, and empowered us to feel safe and to eventually trust again.
Alcohol isn’t fun for everyone. Last year 26 reported incidents of domestic abuse in Darlington, over the Christmas period, involved alcohol.
If you suffer from domestic abuse or know someone who does please get help: Call the Police 111 or 999 in an emergency
If you are suffering, or have a friend you are worried about, do something about it. Make that call, approach your friend, don’t judge them, support them and direct them to services who will listen and help them.
Helpline: 01325 364486
The Family Help service helped me and my children, but most importantly, they saved my life.
Social Services (day) 01325 346200
12 years on, my life is very different, it wasn’t easy, but with help and support you can move on in your life.”
(night) 08702 402994
Domestic Abuse is Britain’s biggest hidden crime and one that overwhelmingly affects women and their children, often in secret, behind closed doors. Everyone has the right to live without fear of abuse/violence. Please don’t let it happen to you or someone you know.
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Planning where to Deciding where new housing should be built can be tricky.In this article we take a look at why we need more housing and how we decide where new homes should be built.
Why do we need more homes in Darlington? A bigger population: Darlington has seen the fastest population growth in the North East. As more people want to live in the Borough, we need to have good quality housing to support this. A better economy: We want to encourage more businesses with skilled jobs to Darlington. To make businesses want to set up here or re-locate, they need to know that there is a good range of housing for their employees. A change in lifestyle: The way we live has changed; more people live by themselves or in smaller families, plus an ageing population. This means that more homes are needed. Government: There is pressure from the Government to build 240,000 new homes per year across the UK, in Darlington we are aiming to build around 6,000 new homes by 2026.
Aren’t there enough homes already? We need to make sure that people who want to stay in Darlington have somewhere to live. Lots of people want to live in the neighbourhood where they grew up and there are many people with young families who want to stay close to grandparents and their extended family. There can be up to 1,500 families looking for a council home in Darlington at any one time, as well as families looking to buy or rent privately so Darlington really needs a wide range of housing from one bedroom flats and starter homes to four bedroom houses.
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How do you decide where new homes should be built? Because there is a national shortage of housing the planning system is designed to make it easier for development to take place. In Darlington, we’re working on a Local Plan which identifies a range of sites suited to different housing types and needs.The proposed sites include brownfield and greenfield land, within and on the edge of the main urban area. Without a Local Plan, we are at risk from private developers putting forward their own choices which may not be as suitable for the needs of our community. The Council can reject these proposals but developers then have the option of appealing to an independent inspector who makes the final decision and it is taken out of the Council’s hands.
What is brownfield land? Land which has already been built on in the past What is greenfield land? Land which has not been built on before
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o build new homes
What if I don’t agree with the Local Plan?
How will you create more affordable housing?
In the summer, we asked residents what they thought about the sites proposed in the Local Plan and got an excellent level of response. People raised a whole range of issues and concerns about the need for more housing and the suitability of the suggested sites. This feedback is being considered before recommendations are made on the final list of sites. There will be another opportunity for people to give their views, before the Plan is tested at a Public Examination next summer.
•
We’re planning to build more Council homes
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We’ll keep on working with Social Landlords to create more affordable housing
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Work with private developers so that new developments include a mix of private and social housing at an affordable price
What happens next? We’re not looking to build all the homes at once. Any developments would happen very gradually with about 450 new homes per year across the whole of Darlington. Any new development goes through a process to make sure that residents can have their say: 1. A planning application is made public
What about empty houses? The majority of empty properties are privately owned and 1/3 of these are for sale or rent so we work with property owners to get them back into use – last year the number of empty homes reduced by 230. The average time it takes us to re-let Council properties is 21 days so they don’t stay empty for long. You can keep up to date with the Local Plan at: www.darlington.gov.uk/localplan
2. We hold a consultation for residents to give feedback 3. Feedback is considered before final recommendations are made
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