Calls for 'white elephant' development to open

5 hours ago

Jim Scott,in Durham Cityand

Federica Bedendo,North East and Cumbria

News image — MP Mary Kelly Foy said the building was a "white elephant" in the city of Durham

BBC MP Mary Kelly Foy standing across the road from the almost finished Milburngate development. Foy is looking at the camera with a serious expression. She has shoulder-length brown hair and is wearing a leopard print-type coat with golden buttons. To the left is the river Wear and to her right is the development. It is made of a main building with window walls that looks finished. In front of it is heras fencing around the perimeter. — MP Mary Kelly Foy said the building was a "white elephant" in the city of Durham

Calls have been made for an almost-finished development that promised to create hundreds of jobs to finally open.

The Milburngate leisure complex in Durham, which includes a hotel, cinema and residential development, was due to open in 2022 but has sat nearly finished for years after the developer behind it collapsed.

Local Labour MP Mary Kelly Foy said the £120m "white elephant" at the entrance of the city could no longer afford to stay shut and urged the Reform-led council to take action.

Tony Hanson, Durham County Council's corporate director of regeneration, said the development was led by the private sector and "responsibility for completing it rests with the funder".

Last year, the then coalition-led council suggested buying the development at an estimated cost of about £55m to end uncertainty around its future.

That decision was put under review after Reform UK took control of the council in May.

The unopened Milburngate development shot through metal fencing. Several modern buildings make up the development, including a red-brick residential block with balconies. There is also another block with glass walls and brown cladding. — Milburngate had been expected to open in 2022, creating hundreds of jobs

Foy said: "Unfortunately what the public see is a big white elephant right in the middle of the city centre and we don't know whether it's going to, when or whether it will open or not."

She added the project had been expected to create more than 1,000 permanent jobs.

"While the place isn't open, that's 1,000 jobs in a place where we desperately need jobs that aren't going to happen," she said.

Hanson said local MPs had been made aware the development was privately owned and responsibility for it did not fall on the council, however the authority was in talks with the funder.

He added: "We strongly share people's desire for progress and that is why we have been, and still are, in discussions with Milburngate's funder, to help them conclude a way forward on the development."

Paul Howard standing outside the Milburngate development. He is looking at the camera with a serious expression. He has shirt salt and pepper hair and a short beard. He wears black-rimmed glasses, a white shirt, black jumper and grey coat. Behind him is the development, which is surrounded in temporary fencing. The development is made of two main buildings. A red-brick one and a block with a glass wall on the lower ground and brown cladding. — Paul Howard, manager at Durham's Business Improvement District, said Milburngate could have a big impact on the local economy

Hanson said he understood the funder was expected to make a decision about the development soon.

Paul Howard, manager at Durham's Business Improvement District, said issues with the development had been going on for "far too long".

"Everybody wants to see it open, but we want some clarification more than anything on what's happening next," he said.

He added Milburngate could have a huge impact on businesses locally, especially with big brands that had been expected to move in such as a Brewdog pub, an Everyman cinema and Premier Inn hotel.

"The office space, the leisure and hospitality all come in together," he said.

"Having people living in the city centre is always a bonus. Having the office space, which we we're very short of in Durham City is, is a real big bonus.

"And the new names that are coming into the city will be a good attraction factor."