Darlington Central Park comprises of a 30 hectare site between Haughton Road, Yarm Road, Hundens Lane and the railway line. Overall the park creates a mixture of residential, commercial and education developments. Central Park is one of the projects of the Tees Valley. It is one of the twelve sites that make up the Tees Valley Enterprise Zone.

This Commercial element of the masterplan seeks to create a high quality environment ensuring an attractive setting for business. Working in conjunction with our partners Valley Environmental, a properly planned, quality green infrastructure has therefore been a priority in our approach to help attract high value businesses and new development. The ethos seeks to swap the historical infrastructure for green & blue infrastructure creating the environment for business.

The simple linear patterns of the former railway tracks are replaced by trees, wetlands and grasses, creating a uniformity across the site within which the individual commercial developments can assert their identity and branding. The simple design concept makes an obvious connection between the historical origin of the site and the need for sustainable development that encourages nature and dynamic processes into the heart of the development.

The site is set within a strategic employment land allocation within the Darlington Local Plan 2016 -2036 which sets out issues and requirements such as ensuring that a high quality of design is delivered that meets the aspirations of the Central Park Enterprise Zone as well as providing a suitable landscape buffer to the East Coast Mainline and residential areas to the East and North of the site.

The proposed landscape scheme creates a new public realm ,wildlife areas and increased biodiversity as well as a nod to the historic railway setting and associated drainage through SuDs and Swales. Artworks by local artists are also incorporated within the site to enhance the hard landscaping and soft landscaping interrelationship.