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New University development for Darlington by 2011

Entrepreneur and Dragon’s Den star Duncan Bannatyne OBE has backed the University’s plans for a new building in Darlington.

He said the venture is fantastic news for the town and a sign of the University’s continuous ambition. The new £13m five-storey building, to be completed by June 2011, will be located beside Darlington College’s buildings in Central Park, facilitating development of the longstanding partnership between Darlington College and the University.

It will enable a significant expansion of the range of Higher Education courses available in Darlington, by creating a strong University presence within an enhanced further and higher education campus.

Duncan, an Honorary Graduate of the University who has his Head Office in Darlington, said: 'I am very pleased and very honoured to be associated with º£½ÇÖ±²¥ and now it’s coming to Darlington which makes me so proud, I am so happy with it – I think it’s a great University’

‘I don’t think this new campus will be a success, I know it will be a success – it will be fantastic.’

All funding for the building is now in place All funding for the Building is now in place and the University is greatly appreciative of the significant contributions from Darlington College, Darlington Council and One North East (who has donated £2m), and for the support of Tees Valley Regeneration and Tees Valley Unlimited. Professor Graham Henderson, º£½ÇÖ±²¥â€™s Vice-Chancellor, said: 'For some time, we have been in discussions about the development with Darlington College, Darlington Council, Alan Milburn MP, One North East and Tees Valley Regeneration. All our partners see the new building as a real resource for the region, delivering significant higher education growth in the town.

'The University has a long history of widening access to higher education within the Tees Valley. The new initiative will provide an improved gateway to higher education for individuals and employers in the west end of the Tees Valley, South West Durham and North Yorkshire.

'Darlington’s pivotal location provides us with a number of exciting new development opportunities, particularly in relation to our rapidly-expanding programme of work with regional and national employers.'

The completed building will be a high-quality, five-storey undergraduate and postgraduate teaching facility. It will cover 4,000 square metres, provide a flexible and stimulating teaching environment, and also offer an excellent venue for business short courses and conference activity.

The building’s imposing design will be environmentally conscious and energy efficient.

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