THE relocation of a North-East auction mart will move a step closer next week when councillors are expected to approve the move.

Members of Darlington Borough Council’s cabinet have been recommended to approve plans to move Darlington Farmers’ Auction Mart (DFAM) from its council-owned Clifton Road site, in the town, to a new base at Humbleton Farm, off the A68.

The possible relocation comes following the death of 15-year-old Kyle Hull, who fell through the roof of the mart in April, in similar circumstances to those that claimed the life of 11-year-old Jack Hunter in 1992.

Friends and relatives of both boys were also invited to a meeting on the future of the mart, chaired by Darlington MP Jenny Chapman, during which the authority told the 100-strong audience that the council was committed to facilitating the move.

The land at Humbleton Farm was bought by the auction mart in 2007, and approval for the new multi-million pound out-of-town mart was first granted in 2009 after councillors overturned planning officers’ recommendations.

However the site has remained in use, despite coming under increasing pressure to move from people living nearby, who complain about noise, smells and volume of traffic.

The council has an obligation to provide Darlington with an auction mart, and a report prepared for councillors said: “The relocation of the facility has been an ambition of both DFAM and the council for a number of years as operations have outgrown the existing site which, whilst being managed through planning and environmental health regulations, is causing conflict between the continued operations of the cattle market and the neighbouring residential use.

“DFAM has now progressed its development and has submitted a business case to the council for consideration and support, including a significantly different and reduced financial ask from the council to support its new scheme.”

Although the mart has secured funding for the move, they will be left with a short-term cash flow issue.

As a result, members have also been recommended to approve a £2m bridging loan from the authority, which will be repaid using money from the sale of a site owned by the mart on Neasham Road, in Darlington.

The cabinet meets at 5pm on Tuesday (September 8) at Darlington town hall. Members of the public are welcome.