COUNCILLORS are being asked to support plans which could bring high-tech industry to an area of Darlington.

Darlington Borough Council's cabinet is expected to endorse the proposals by the Tees Valley Local Enterprise Partnership, Tees Valley Unlimited (TVU).

The Government invited local enterprise partnerships to submit proposals for enterprise zones.

These will contain high value/low carbon industries and digital industries.

The Tees Valley Enterprise Zone proposal totals 958.2 hectares.

In Darlington, ten hectares of Central Park have been identified as benefiting from digital industries.

A report to the cabinet by Councillor Chris McEwan, the cabinet member for economy and regeneration, and Richard Alty, the council's director of place, says that Central Park has been identified as Darlington's key regeneration project and enterprise zone status could help accelerate or encourage development.

It is hoped the proposed £200m development will include homes, offices, restaurants, bars and an hotel.

It has already attracted the new Darlington College and the recently-opened campus building for Teesside University.

The relationship with Teesside University is seen as one of the key factors why Central Park would be suitable for attracting digital industries.

Enterprise zones could benefit from several advantages, including business rate discounts, simplified planning procedures, more investment and superfast broadband.

The report to the cabinet says: "It should be remembered that Darlington's sites are more attractive to wider and more diverse sectors, including logisitics, advanced engineering, manufacturing and office sectors and is complementary to the industrial structure of the Tees Valley."

The report adds that strong controls need to be put in place to ensure that there is no displacement of industry from existing areas to the enterprise zones.

The cabinet will discuss the report and make a decision on Tuesday, at 5pm.