Five projects in pipeline for County Durham and Darlington

However, we have been looking at five projects in County Durham and Darlington that will change the future of those places, and how it will bring benefits to those in County Durham and Darlington.

Five projects in the pipeline for County Durham and Darlington:

A66

The A66 near Scotch Corner (Image: NORTHERN ECHO) The £1.5bn scheme to dual the A66 in the region was approved in March by the then Transport Secretary.

Work had been expected to start this year on upgrading the notorious 50-mile stretch, between Scotch Corner and Penrith. which at present is a mix of dual and single carriageways.

Despite the plans for the project being in place, the project was called into question after the Department for Transport (DfT) said an "internal review" of ongoing, scheduled, and confirmed transport projects will take place.

While this project is far from built right now - this project has the ability to transform the region with faster journeys and a safer road. 

Ferryhill Station (Leamside Line), Darlington-Weardale and Newcastle-Consett

Ferryhill Station (Leamside Line) (Image: NORTHERN ECHO) Bids to reopen Ferryhill Station, renew rail links between Consett and Newcastle, and create a passenger rail service from Darlington to Weardale, County Durham, were all backed by the previous Conservative government. 

The £500 million scheme to reconnect communities was hailed as a game changer for County Durham.

Despite all the positivity surrounding these, projects funded through the Restoring Your Railway programme have been cast in doubt after the scheme was cancelled.

However, it's hoped by councils, councillors and MPS that these projects will still go ahead.

Milburngate Durham

Milburngate Durham (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)The Milburngate development, which was scheduled to be open by the end of 2022 in the heart of Durham City, has run into several issues, including Gateshead-based construction company Tolent going into administration in 2023, as well as concerns over resolving several 'fire safety issues' at the site.

However, it's still hoped that this development will change the landscape of Durham City and increase Durham's night-time economy even further. 

The major development, a joint venture of Arlington Real Estate and Richardson, was scheduled to feature 153 built-to-rent apartments, and office space, alongside several businesses including BrewDog, Premier Inn, and Everyman Cinema. 

But it remains unopened, with signage and branding for several units - including BrewDog, Premier Inn and Everyman Cinema - remaining in place for two years without seeing a single customer.

In an update, the developers of the Milburngate site said that they are looking for a resolution to the "deadlock" and hope that the "impasse" can be resolved soon. 

It's hoped that the deadlock between the council and developers will end soon.

Scotch Corner Designer Village

Scotch Corner Designer Village (Image: NORTHERN ECHO) Scotch Corner Designer Village has revealed March 26, 2026, as the opening date for Phase 1a and the Blue Diamond home, lifestyle and garden centre, with Phase 1b opening soon after.

The retail and leisure destination had been scheduled to open in October 2023 but was pushed back to September 2024.

The promotional material says Scotch Corner Designer Village will be "the number one outlet and leisure destination in the whole of the north of England".

Hugo Boss, Tommy Hilfiger, Levi’s, Calvin Klein, Adidas and Joules are among the brands already confirmed.

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It will have electric vehicle charging points, a dog walking trail, food outlets and "integrated leisure creating an exciting mix of interactive, immersive, fun and educational experiences for the whole family".

While delays have taken over this development - it's hoped it will be the shopping destination for the area once open, and while it's in North Yorkshire, it will affect people in Darlington and County Durham - thus making the list.

Darlington Train Station

Darlington Train Station (Image: DEPARTMENT FOR TRANSPORT) Work is well underway on the £140m project to transform rail travel across the North East through a major regeneration of the East Coast Main Line railway station.

The huge project involves carefully blending the old with the new – with a fully accessible footbridge being built over tracks inside the Victorian station to take passengers through an opening in the historic roof over to two modern platforms, a brand new concourse building and a multi-storey car park.

This new project is set to revamp Darlington Station and has definitely changed the landscape of that part of Darlington already, let alone when it will be complete in mid-2025.