A promotional film produced for a new village development on a former brickworks site on the outskirts of Darlington in County Durham presented by acclaimed regional broadcaster Eric Robson. The film produced for two local companies, construction company Crossley and planning consultancy Millwater, looks at why the site of the Skipbridge Village Development is suitable for new housing and how it will fit comfortably into the local landscape. Weeds grow through the concrete on the site of the...

A promotional film produced for a new village development on a former brickworks site on the outskirts of Darlington in County Durham presented by acclaimed regional broadcaster Eric Robson. The film produced for two local companies, construction company Crossley and planning consultancy Millwater, looks at why the site of the Skipbridge Village Development is suitable for new housing and how it will fit comfortably into the local landscape. Weeds grow through the concrete on the site of the old Hurworth Brickworks, nearby a derelict building and a pond. Presenter Eric Robson walks towards camera speaking of the site's history, it's current poor state and proposal for the future as a village development. In the distance the outskirts of the town of Darlington. Title: Skipbridge Village Development Title: A New Concept in Local Housing A building site where several office buildings are under construction changes to Northgate House in Darlington with traffic moving around the ring road roundabout. Shoppers and pedestrians walk along High Row past the towns market hall and clock tower. The film briefly returns with an overhead view of the Skipbridge site changing to a map of the area around Darlington highlighting the region's transportation links. A second more detailed map of the Skipbridge Village Development site shows it to be between Darlington to the north and the villages of Hurworth-on-Tees and Neasham to the south. A car travels along The Grn through the village of Hurworth-on-Tees followed by a montage of the various large houses in this traditional village. A Sanderson estate agents 'For Sale' sign is erected outside one property, a woman and small girl walk along a street passing a row of contemporary detached homes. More modern houses built off the village main street. Back at the Skipbridge site Eric Robson to camera talks about how to much development in existing villages could change it character. However, local construction company Crossley along with northern planning consultants Millwater have come up with a new idea to develop a whole new village development on this site. An overhead view of the derelict site which fades to a model of what the Skipbridge Village Development and several artistic impressions of aspects of the site and types of houses to be built. Eric Robson speaks with David Houldershaw from Northern Resource Consultants about a study undertaken by him on the site and the environmental benefits this development will bring to the derelict site. Eric then reads from draft guidance note published by the Department of the Environment on new villages. Title: Department of Environment PPGN No 3 1989. In some rural areas there may be scope for creating new villages which, if properly sited could help relive pressures for development in existing villages. Title: Given modern standards of mobility, not every village needs to sustain a full range of community services. Title: New villages of 200-1000 dwellings would permit the variety of housing types which characterises many of our older villages and could, in the right location, fit successfully into the rural landscape. Sitting on a piece of broke concrete Eric Robson concludes the film by reiterates some of the points that have been made in favour of the Skipbridge Village Development. As he gets up to leave, he wonders where the village pub will be. Credit: Presenter Eric Robson Credit: Environmental Consultant David Houldershaw Credit: Camera crew Hoi Polloi Film & Video Credit: Graphics Picture This Credit: Producer Chris Potter Credit: Director Ian Sutherland Credit: Commissioned by Crossley and Millwater Credit: Quay Productions End title: Skipbridge Village Development