A council buyout which will enable a regional daily to remain in what has been its home for more than a century has been completed.

Darlington Borough Council has officially taken over the Priestgate headquarters of the Northern Echo.

In February, it was revealed the council would be taking over the building and refurbishing the ground floor to convert it into an adult learning centre.

The Echo will remain in the building, where it has been based since 1917, as an anchor tenant.

The development will be undertaken using funding from the UK Government’s Towns Fund and the Tees Valley Combined Authority, while plans for the upper floors of the building are still under discussion.

Echo managing director David Coates said: “I am delighted the building will be in such safe hands and will continue to play a vital role for the community, with the Echo itself remaining at the heart of the town.”

Angela Howey, chair of the Darlington Towns Fund Board, told the newspaper: “This is a big day for the Towns Fund in Darlington, a purchase that secures the future of a key building in the town centre and the start of work to create a facility that will support adults of all ages to earn the skills needed in today’s working world.

“The aim of the Town’s Fund is to deliver sustainable economic regeneration – projects like this will do just that and help an under-utilised building become part of the beating heart of the town centre once more.

“We’ll be working closely with the council and Darlington College, as well as other partners, to design courses that meet the needs of local people and local employers, ensuring we have the skills base needed for the future.”