Durham County Council vows to open delayed Milburngate
Council leaders have vowed to open a major leisure and hospitality development after years of delays.Durham County Council's cabinet agreed to proceed with negotiations to acquire Milburngate in Durham to end years of uncertainty around the site's future.A discussion on the acquisition was held behind closed doors due to commercial sensitivity, but the coalition-led authority revealed the proposal was backed by cabinet members.Liberal Democrat Elizabeth Scott, cabinet member for economy and partnerships, said the investment would allow the council to "bring significant economic benefit to the city and wider county".
Milburngate was scheduled to open by the end of 2022 but has run into several issues.Construction company Tolent entered administration in 2023, while questions about fire safety issues delayed construction further.
'Huge expense'
The acquisition and future development of the site are estimated to cost about £55m and would be self-financed, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.A resident told BBC Radio Newcastle the vacant site was a "disgrace for Durham"."I do think it could be good, but it needs finishing," she said."It's a disgrace like this."Meanwhile, another said it seemed like a "huge expense" for the council.He said while it "should bring a lot of business and people" into Durham, it was "an awful amount of money".The local authority said it would work with tenants and other stakeholders to ensure the development was fully completed and open to the public "as soon as practicable".Previously, BrewDog expressed frustration at investing £1m into the development and not being able to open.Scott said the council was "very aware of the economic significance of Milburngate".She said combining the business and leisure opportunities with residential and hotel accommodation meant it had a "lot to offer residents and visitors"."Investing in Milburngate would, therefore, allow us to secure its future and bring significant economic benefit to the city and wider county," Scott added.
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