AYCLIFFE HAS BEEN ‘PUNCHING BELOW ITS WEIGHT’

By Martin Walker

MP Phil Wilson admits Newton Aycliffe has been “punching below its weight” for some time, but is looking forward to seeing that change over the next few years.

The Member of Parliament for Sedgefield, whose constituency office is based in Aycliffe town centre, played a major role in bringing Hitachi to the town and has also helped to speed up the development of the proposed new Aldi superstore.

And with the £32m redevelopment of Woodham Golf Club in the pipeline, as well as several other projects – a £1.7m Soccer Factory on Aycliffe Business Park, a brand new care home to replace the derelict Southerne Club building and major new housing developments – he says the anticipated boom is overdue.

In a Video Interview with Aycliffe Today, Mr Wilson said: “Bit-by-bit things are improving.

“I know people want things done yesterday, but sometimes it takes time, and hopefully over the next two or three years we’ll be living up to expectations, because I think we’ve been punching below our weight for quite a while.

“But I think with all the developments that are coming, people are going to notice Newton Aycliffe is on the map.

“We need the town centre development to continue. I’ve always known Aldi is going to happen, but there has been so many problems with planning and utility pipes, everyone – including the developer and Aldi – have been frustrated about it.

“But now we know a start date, we know it’s going to take a few months to build, but it will hopefully just be the start of even further regeneration of the town centre and a further indicator that things are changing in the town.”

Go to our Video Vault to see Mr Wilson’s interview in full