PLANS to build a university complex in a North-East town are expected to be approved, paving the way for work to begin on the £16m project.

Teesside University’s expansion into Darlington is expected to continue after Darlington Borough Council planning officers recommended the proposal to build a fivestorey building at the heart of a Darlington campus be approved.

Councillors will vote on the application next week.

The building, in the Central Park area of Darlington, off Haughton Road, would house undergraduate and postgraduate classrooms and teaching facilities, a boardroom, kitchen, cafe/bar and offices. The plans also feature glazed revolving doors, clear and coloured glass panels and a roof terrace.

The 24m-high structure would house up to 1,000 students and here would be car parking for 85 vehicles, as well as 150 bikes. Access to the site would be from Haughton Road.

After taking into account all the representations, the impact on local infrastructure, the environment and local residents, officers have recommended the plans be approved.

However, both the Association of North-East Councils and UK sporting organisation Sport England have raised concerns over the loss of football pitches if the development goes ahead.

Football facilities being created at Eastbourne sports complex and Blackwell Meadows will mitigate the effects of the development, but Sport England does not believe the facilities will be completed before the Central Park pitches are redeveloped.

A statement from Sport England, contained in the planning application, states: “Work is not sufficiently advanced on the proposals at Eastbourne Sports complex and Blackwell Meadows for Sport England to have sufficient confidence that the replacement provision will happen within the necessary timescales, or indeed at all.

“We remain confident that on-going work offers the prospect for our objection to be resolved prior to this application being taken to planning committee.”

Funding for the building is now in place, with contributions from Darlington College, Darlington Borough Council and regional development agency One North East.

If the plans are approved, it is expected that work would begin in April next year.