Darlington Council is set to put the town’s former art centre up for sale after efforts to save the property failed.

The Arts Centre in Vane Terrace closed in July last year as part of the Council’s Medium Term Financial Plan budget decisions and following lengthy consultation with the arts community and public.

Previous plans for the centre that included developing a hotel and offices fell though due to lack of financial funding.

The council has pledged to consult on how to re-invest proceeds from the sale in local arts projects. It will work with the arts community though Creative Darlington to ensure successful delivery of this.

The Council’s Cabinet have now recommended that the site be remarketed for sale, with suitability for a range of uses subject to planning permission, to secure a future for the former Arts Centre.

Nick Wallis, Darlington Council’s Cabinet Member leading on the arts, said: “We all share their disappointment that, in current market conditions, this has not been realisable.

The Council feels it now needs to move to resolve the future of the Vane Terrace building and resolve how future investment in the arts should take place. We are looking forward to working with Creative Darlington network of Arts organisations and supporters including Darlington for Culture, to hear the views of those interested in the arts in Darlington.”