Last week the council approved the redevelopment of the Milburngate House site for a mixed use development comprising leisure use, a cinema, office accommodation and 440 flats.

Our view is that Millburngate House does have to be redeveloped but there are aspects of the plans which we were not happy about.

The height of the buildings included in the scheme appears excessive in scale particularly in the north-western part of the site the buildings will be higher than the highest block of the present Milburngate House.  We wanted to see a better cascading effect of rooflines towards the river and Framwellgate Peth.

The proposed leisure part of the site is to have a cinema.  We believe that this will never happen.  There is a proposed multi-screen cinema at The Gates and they are at least a year ahead in building there.  Durham City is also getting 4 screens at The Gala next year.

The application proposes the wholesale removal of trees along the western edge of Framwellgate Peth, from almost the top of Sidegate all the way down to the roundabout.  The plans suggest new trees would be planted but we believe that as many established existing ones should be retained which would be better for the local environment in appearance and to reduce air pollution as well as softening  the new buildings.

As well as these, other issues raised by Cllr David Freeman at the planning meeting were:

The connectivity with the new Gates development is very poor and this does not appear to being adequately addressed for what is the joining point between two multi million pound developments.

There are to be over 400 residential flats but possibly as little as 100 car park spaces.  This will make it less attractive for new permanent residents. That is crazy.

The Council (a Labour Council!) disagreed with our request that there be affordable housing in the scheme!

Equally the Council was letting off the developers making a Section 106 contribution for art and recreation which is usual in planning applications.  No benefit for Durham City then!

Finally nothing in the planning application mentioned working times.  The next door development at The Gates was allowed 23 hour working by planning officers much to the anger of nearby residents.

Cllr Freeman was at least able get the planning committee to agree working hours of 7.30 to 18.00 Monday to Friday and up to 13.00 on a Saturday.

Cllr David Freeman said:

“This development is next door to Highgate and Sidegate where residents live and it is not acceptable that they would have had to experience the noise and inconvenience of round the clock working.

“We remain concerned about the approved plans as the Council are letting the developers build a scheme which could have been so much better.”

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