RETAIL group Argos yesterday took over a North-East site that will provide the home for a major distribution centre.
The company is planning to create 700 jobs at the Faverdale East business park, on the edge of Darlington.
The 740,000sq ft centre will be the base for its home delivery business, Argos Direct.
The Argos site covers about half of the 86-acre business park development and borough council chiefs joined company bosses yesterday for the handover.
Julie Brunskill, property director for Argos Retail Group, said: "We can confirm that we have now taken over the site.
"Work has already commenced and we plan to have the new distribution centre fully operational by the end of the summer 2005."
The council leader, Councillor John Williams, said: "It is great news that Argos, a well-known national company, is investing in Darlington.
"I hope that this development will attract many other major businesses to Darlington."
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