Durham County Council’s planning committee gave the go-ahead for the six-screen cinema, shops, restaurants and other leisure facilities at Bishop Auckland Retail Park, in St Helen Auckland, last year.
There have been a number of delays but developer Land Planning Partnership (LPP) has now signed up a cinema operator, a heavy goods retailer and two family friendly restaurant chains to move in.
It is estimated the scheme will create about 300 jobs.
The news comes as two other developments for the area also came forward.
Premier Inn has unveiled that it wants to extend its hotel on West Auckland Road, Tindale Crescent.
The company, owned by Whitbread, has applied to the county council for consent to build a 21 bedroom, three storey extension with landscaping and car park alterations.
And work to demolish eyesore buildings on the former Cemex concrete batching plant, on St Helen Way, is due to start on Monday.
Durham County Councillor for West Auckland, Rob Yorke, said: “These developments are all really good news for the area.
“People have been pushing for a cinema for 30 years and it is my job to work closely with the developer to see it come to fruition.
“There is still a bit of work to do but we’ve been reassured things are moving forward.”
Concerns had been raised that the St Helen Auckland cinema scheme would be threatened by a multiplex cinema and hotel being built in Darlington but Cllr Yorke said a feasibility study which showed Bishop Auckland has a catchment of 175,000 demonstrated strong local demand.
He added: “News that Whitbread wants to extend the Premier Inn is really positive and shows what a popular place this is to come.
“And people, particularly those living in new houses in St Helen’s, are desperate to see the old Cemex buildings come down, they have become a real eyesore.”
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