Work is underway on the £61m expansion of one of the UK’s premier science parks following the appointment of a contractor. Led by Durham County Council, the development of phase three of The North East Technology Park (NETPark) at Sedgefield has begun, after Kier was chosen to deliver the project. The county council is funding the...

Durham County Council has scrapped the discounts offered for early payment of fixed penalty notices (FPNs) issued to people for fly-tipping, dropping litter and dog fouling. Before the discounts ended, people caught fly-tipping could see their £400 FPN reduced to £180 if they paid early, while £150 littering fines were discounted to...

Lee Weldon’s weekly round-up from the wicket… Saturday 29th July – NYSD Division 2 Marton 2nd XI v Newton Aycliffe 1st XI – weather was cool and breezy. Newton Aycliffe won the toss and chose to bowl first. Marton 2nd XI 205 for 9 after 50 overs Matty Greaves 3 for 33, Luke Telford 2 for 38 and James Layfield-Carroll 2 for...

When it comes to property law and property contracts, requesting a deposit is a common occurrence in selling a property. But when is a deposit not just a deposit? The deposit acts as security for the seller and is usually part of the overall purchase price. Typically, a deposit in a property purchase is set at 10 per cent of the purchase...

Green spaces across County Durham have once again been awarded a prestigious national status. Eight parks and green spaces, which are maintained by Durham County Council, have received Green Flag accreditation from the environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy. The scheme, recognising parks, cemeteries, countryside sites and crematoria,...

Durham County Council has expanded its electric vehicle fleet as part of its aim to achieve net zero. The local authority has acquired 29 new electric vehicles (EV) as part of its vehicle replacement programme, which sees vehicles that are due to be renewed replaced with electric versions. This includes 24 new midi vans, which will be used...

By Steven Dawson It has been another very busy week for Aycliffe Running Club with some excellent performances. On Wednesday, July 19, two members took part in the New Marske Harriers Summer Coast Road 5k. Dave Blewitt (22:11) and Yvonne Blewitt (28:12), both represented the cub. This was also a new 5k personal best for Yvonne. On...

UTC South Durham hosted more than 200 enthusiastic primary school students to explore the world of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). The event, supported and funded by The North East STEM Foundation (NESF), aimed to inspire and engage young minds in the exciting fields of STEM education by providing an immersive and interactive...

After a long collaboration with Greenfield Community College, Greenfield Arts has announced it will be leaving its current site at the end of August. Greenfield Arts was opened in 2000 with the support of the Arts Council and Great Aycliffe Town Council, realising the determination and vision of former head master Mike Thornton. The centre...

A group of our year 7 and 8 girls from Newton Aycliffe attended a “women in engineering” event at New College Durham. The Woodham Academy students took part in a range of activities to find out about roles women work within and completed engineering challenges and puzzles. One of Woodham’s teams won the “chain” challenge where...