Botanical boost for 2000-home development

Plans have been approved to create a botanical centrepiece in a 2000-home development.

Hellens Group has secured backing to add an arboretum to Burtree Garden Village.

Set for the outskirts of Darlington, bosses say the scheme will deliver housing, retail outlets and up to 200,000sq metres of employment space over the next 20 years.

They add a raised mound will form the key feature of the arboretum, which will be made using soil and materials from the site and support the conservation of the rare black poplar tree already growing on the land.

Gavin Cordwell-Smith, chief executive at Wynyard and Washington-based Hellens Group, said: “This project is not just about building homes; it's about creating a thriving, sustainable community that prioritises people and the environment.

“The arboretum will play a pivotal role in delivering on our vision of a green, healthy and inclusive village.

“By reusing site materials and planting a diverse range of native and ornamental trees, we’re creating a space that promotes biodiversity, wellbeing and community interaction.”

Hellens Group is working with Homes England – which has committed £43 million to support highway construction and sustainable transport services – and Darlington Borough Council on the scheme.

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