Dear Sir,
In answer to the article ‘New Development’ in last week’s edition of Newton News.
In October 1962, the boundaries of the new town of Newton Aycliffe were set, and these included the villages of Aycliffe and Middridge.
Aycliffe Development Corporation built many of the houses in Middridge and also upgraded the parish hall.
At that time, the new town was in three separate local authority areas (Sedgefield RDC, Darlington RDC and Shildon UDC).
The re-organisation of local government in the early 1970s saw the establishment of Great Aycliffe Town Council. The villages of Aycliffe and Middridge had the choice of being part of Great Aycliffe Town Council or form their own parishes. Aycliffe Village decided it wanted to be part of Great Aycliffe Town Council, Middridge decided to form its own parish council, so Middridge is part of Newton Aycliffe with its own parish council.
Councillor Bob Fleming
