People in Bishop Auckland are being made aware that the capacity of North Bondgate car park will be temporarily reduced this month for ongoing improvement works.
As part of Durham County Council’s continued support for the range of exciting plans in Bishop Auckland by the Auckland Castle and Eleven Arches Trusts, work is currently ongoing to improve and expand North Bondgate car park.
To carry out the next phase of the work it will be necessary to temporarily close the existing section of the car park from Monday 8 February for two weeks. During this time the newly expanded section of the car park will be open instead, reducing capacity from 175 spaces to 100. The closure will allow for improvements to be made to the entrance of the car park including new barriers and lighting.
Work to complete the first phase of the car park expansion is expected to be completed by the end of February with the new facility having over 300 spaces. A second phase, which could see the car park expanded further into adjacent land is currently being considered with any potential work taking place later in the year.
Following a consultation which saw overwhelming support from the public, the council moved to expand and improve the car park with responsibility for its ongoing operation and management then passing to the Auckland Castle Trust. The agreement will see the Trust ensure that spaces are available for residents and local shoppers as well as employing car park attendants to greet visitors with information about what the town has to offer.
The range of projects being planned for the area are expected to create the equivalent of 200 full time jobs, 500 indirect jobs, 300 training opportunities and 800 volunteering opportunities as well as provide a huge boost to the local economy.
Sarah Robson, Durham County Council’s head of economic development, said: “The range of exciting plans for Bishop Auckland promises a huge boost for the town in terms of both jobs and the local economy. We’re delighted to be able to continue our support for these projects by providing an expanded and much improved car park to benefit residents, visitors and local businesses. We’d like to thank everyone for their patience while we carry out the final stage of these much needed improvements.”