Helen Goodman

Plans for an ambitious £45 million leisure and shopping centre at Tindale Crescent are to include a new state-of-the-art stadium for Bishop Auckland FC.

The Bishops have been without a permanent home since 2002, but the ten-time FA Amateur Cup winners have now secured a £250,000 grant from the Football Foundation to assist in the building of a new stadium, which local developers and club sponsors Terrace Hill have confirmed will be included in proposals for a new multi-purpose development including with a six-screen Apollo cinema, a 60,000 sq ft Sainsbury’s, a bowling alley and a bingo hall.

Helen said:

“The Tindale Crescent development will really help the regeneration of the local area, and could create up to 350 jobs.

I am also delighted that a new football stadium for Bishop Auckland will be part of these plans, as I know how long the club has been waiting for this news.

Bishop Auckland FC have supported our recent work on anti-racism, and they are a tremendous community club”.

A planning application for the Tindale Crescent site will be submitted shortly, and the Bishops can expect to be in their new stadium for the kick off of the 2010-11 season.