News
Debenhams Approval in Darlington
Darlington Planners have given the thumbs up to the creation of a new Debenhams department store as part of the Cornmill Shopping Centre in Darlington town centre. Designed by DLG Architects, on behalf of the Moorfield Group, the Practice has obtained planning consent to build a new three storey, 62,000 sq ft department store within the walls of the original Northern Echo Building, immediately adjacent to the Shopping Centre. The proposals, which include retention of the well-loved historic façade, have been well received by the Council and Public alike. The approval of the scheme now allows the team to move forward into the pre-construction programme, with construction work on site planned for the end of 2012.
DLG, who have over 30 years experience in shopping centre and retail developments, have carefully prepared the proposals to allow the existing facades to be retained and new floors inserted within the existing structure. New circulation stairs, lifts and escalators are introduced and direct links to the main mall in the Cornmill Centre will allow the department store to be fully integrated into the existing shopping centre.
This is the second major project the Practice has developed in Darlington, having just completed the £4.5 million rebuild of the Kings Head Hotel which burnt down in August 2008. Martin Cranage, Director of DLG Architects, said “it’s great to be working on another historic building in the heart of the town centre. This is a complex project and we are very pleased to have been able to bring forward proposals that breathe new life into another well known landmark building in Darlington and given the current market conditions, it is a credit to all parties involved that the project is moving forward so positively”.