Member Article

New community centre transforms neighbourhood

A new state-of-the-art community centre and school are helping to turn around the fortunes of a North East housing estate. Almost a decade ago, Skerne Park in Darlington was littered with empty houses, had problems with high crime, anti-social behaviour and showed low levels of local pride.

The creation of the £4.5m Coleridge Centre and The Skerne Park Partnership are believed to have had a positive impact on the area. Crime statistics to be released in March are expected to have fallen and there is now a waiting list to live on the estate. The centre opened in March last year and provides adult education, childcare, schooling, health services and advice for parents.

Lizzi Burdess, resident and mother of four, said: “Years ago if you heard the name Skerne Park you would think to yourself ‘I wouldn’t live there if they gave me a house for nothing.’ Now it has completely changed, there is even a waiting list to get a house here. “The Coleridge Centre has transformed the community. If it wasn’t for the new centre I wouldn’t have been able to go to university. I studied in the adult learning centre and whilst I was studying I knew my children were safe – both during school hours and after.” David Brown, director at Browne Smith Baker, who designed the centre, said: “As a local firm, we were delighted to be appointed for this project as it gave us an opportunity to design a 21st century community building for one of our town’s neighbourhoods. “The effects of the increased activity the building brings are already evident and it will continue to help revitalise the area.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .