Durham County Council’s cabinet will hear the first half of an update on recent successes and future plans for towns across County Durham when it meets next week.
The masterplans are the council’s regeneration framework for each major town in the county – including Newton Aycliffe – and cabinet will be asked to approve updated versions of the plans.
The first reviews will cover Aycliffe as well as Consett, Crook, Durham City, Chester-le-Street and Stanley.
This will be followed by masterplan updates for Peterlee, Seaham, Spennymoor, Shildon, Barnard Castle and Bishop Auckland which are due to go to the next cabinet meeting in January 2017.
The updated plans profile each of the towns, detailing investment and work across the county as well as plans for the future. In addition to highlighting the range of activities undertaken by the council – including improvements to town centres, highways, education and health provision – they also identify the development of new businesses, housing and community facilities.
If approved by cabinet the adopted masterplans will continue to evolve, with the council’s Area Action Partnerships continuing to play a key role in shaping them to ensure that they reflect the priorities of local residents.
Cllr Neil Foster, Cabinet member for economic regeneration, said: “The updated masterplans are key documents, setting a clear way forward to bring even further investment and improvements to towns throughout the county.
“The masterplans show how the council has invested millions of pounds, right across County Durham, and encouraged even more investment from the private sector; boosting business, safeguarding and creating new jobs, improving education and transport and creating new housing and community facilities.
“Future plans are just as exciting, with the development of Forrest Park in Newton Aycliffe aiming to create over 3,000 jobs and boost the economy by nearly half a billion pounds and a major private sector investment promising a total redevelopment of the riverside in Durham City.
“Major retailers are planning new supermarkets in Crook and Stanley and we will continue to invest in our roads and schools as well as targeting support for businesses and high streets countywide to improve the local economy.”
Cabinet will hear about the work carried out so far and be asked to approve the updated masterplans when it meets at County Hall at 10am on Wednesday, December 14.