The first pictures of proposals to create a new £90m shopping complex in the heart of Darlington have been released. Stuart Mackintosh reports on the latest phase of the town's transformation.

THESE are the eye-catching, futuristic visions that leading developers believe will make Darlington a premier shopping destination for years to come.

And six months after the original plans for a Commercial Street retail centre collapsed so disastrously, civic and business leaders are keeping their fingers crossed for one of these visions to be made a reality.

The withdrawal of the St Martin's Property Group, in September, with the firm saying it preferred to concentrate on London developments, suggested Darlington town centre had seen yet another false dawn.

But hopes are now high for a dramatic turnaround in the area's fortunes, with Commercial Street integral to efforts to close the gap on regional retail rivals.

The town has faced fierce competition in recent times from the likes of York, Middlesbrough and Newcastle, as well as more modern developments such as Teesside Park, at Stockton.

The artists' impressions from the four developers in the running to create the complex offer a glimpse into the future.

The most striking feature in many of the blueprints is a bridge linking the centre to a multi-storey car park planned for the north side of St Augustine's Way.

The feature varies in each firm's plans, but one space-age connection between the two sites has been the main talking point among those to have seen the images.

Regent House, the Lounge nightclub and the Commercial Street car park would be removed as part of plans for the complex which, in some images, features a department store and other shops, as well as a street cafe area.

Darlington Borough Council has said that the Queen Street arcade, sold by St Martin's last week for more than £25m, will not form part of the Commercial Street scheme.

But it is understood that there could be an entrance to the new shopping centre through Queen Street.

Senior figures in the town are relishing the prospect of the most important retail development since the Cornmill Centre opened in 1992. Councillor Tony Richmond, leader of Darlington's Conservative group, said: "We have had so many false dawns on major developments in Darlington in the past.

"St Martin's pulled out at the last minute, so one of the main criteria now must be to have a developer who can complete the project."

Steve Rose, the chief executive of Darlington Partnership, said: "The whole idea of the Commercial Street development is one that is exciting and should bring great benefits to Darlington.

"To raise the status of the shopping experience in Darlington must be a good thing.

"We want to attract more people and, as long as we have the right transport plans in place to match the development plans, it will be terrific."

Partnership chairman Alasdair MacConachie said: "The mere fact that we are contemplating developing that site is great news for the town. Local shops are very enthusiastic about this, so the sooner it happens the better."

Cornmill Centre manager Susan Young said: "From the centre's point of view and the town's point of view, it just reinforces how popular Darlington is as a shopping destination.

"We do have a requirement for larger retail units, and Commercial Street will obviously provide that. It is good news that developers can recognise what is needed and work hand-in-hand with the council."