Demolition of the derelict building in Darlington starts today to make way for new housing and retail spaces
Darlington: Today marks the start of demolition work on the old Catholic Club and Quaker School building at 2 Raby Terrace. This place has been sitting empty since 2020, and it’s finally time for it to go.
The building, which dates back to the 19th century, will be taken down along with its outbuildings. Expect some footpath closures around the area for about 12 weeks while they get this done.
Darlington Council is pushing ahead with this demolition as part of a plan to build new houses, flats, and shops in the town center. These plans got the green light back in 2021.
They’re looking to create six three-bedroom houses, six two-bedroom flats, and three retail units with flats above. But it hasn’t been smooth sailing; there have been delays because of the site’s historical issues.
Things got even more complicated last September when police found a large cannabis farm on the property, which had caused some damage due to the electrical work and ventilation systems.
But now, the work is finally kicking off. Arcadia Court will still be accessible from Skinnergate during this time, so that’s a plus.
This building has quite a history. It was built in 1819 as a school funded by the Quaker Pease family. It served as a school until 1886 before being turned into housing.
However, that didn’t last long. By 1914, it became a cookery school, and then in 1921, the Darlington branch of the Royal British Legion moved in.
In 1955, the British Legion Club took over, but it closed in the late 1970s. St Mary’s Associated Club took over in 2012, but it shut down again in 2020 due to Covid and never reopened.
