By Martin Walker
Hitachi’s much-awaited £4.5bn Intercity Express Propgramme (IEP) finally gets the sign-off as the region’s media descends on Amazon Park for a high-profile press conference during another headline-grabbing month for Aycliffe Today.
The town’s football club welcomed Premier League giants Sunderland to the town and Newtonian Jason Steele is named in the Team GB Soccer team for the summer’s Olympic Games.
July was another hectic month for Newton Aycliffe – as usual, we were in the thick of it.
Today, we continue our series of monthly reviews, looking back on a memorable debut year for Aycliffe Today.
JULY
Hitachi’s £4.5bn Intercity Express Programme (IEP) finally gets the sign-off – we broke the news before any other media outlet in the North-East. Read more.
Sedgefield MP Phil Wilson, who played a huge part in realising the Hitachi dream, tells Aycliffe Today it’s a “truly monumental deal” for Aycliffe and the region. Read more.
In a Video Interview, Mr Wilson later tells us the £4.5bn IEP deal will be the “making” of Aycliffe. Read more.
Meanwhile, Hitachi’s new plant manager for the proposed £77m factory is relishing his new role in the North-East. Read more.
Days later, Aycliffe Today get exclusive access behind the scenes at the town’s new Aldi store, as management confirm it’s on course to open before Christmas. Read more.
In other news, bin men are banned from collecting wheelie bins from back alleys in Newton Aycliffe due to fears they may suffer a back injury. Read more.
Days later, however, normal service resumes after an embarrassing U-turn by Durham Council. Read more.
Woodham College is given Academy status, and head teacher Christine Forsyth welcomes it as fantastic news. Read more.
Woodham’s sporting ambassador and Newtonian, Jason Steele, makes the Team GB squad for the summer London 2012 Olympic Games. Read more.
Newton Aycliffe FC announce the appointment of former Durham University chief Dan Lewis as their new general manager (read more), while they also sign ex-Newcastle United forward Paul Robinson (read more).
Former Sunderland player and Newtonian Phil Brumwell talks about the town’s forthcoming pre-season friendly with the Wearsiders (read more), while we talk exclusively to Black Cats legend Kevin Ball about the game (read more).
Plans are unveiled to combine Greenfield Community College and Sunnydale College, in Shildon, but chiefs insist it’s not a merger. Read more.
Meanwhile, Aycliffe police recover cannabis plants after swooping on an Aycliffe Village home (read more).
Our action-packed reviews will continue over the next few days, while you can click on previous reviews below.