Start in sight for Durham's £150m Milburngate development

Construction of a multi-million pound living, working and leisure destination in Durham will get underway in the new year.

Updated plans for the £150m Milburngate scheme, revealed in September, were given the go-head this week by Durham County Council.

Phase one of the development will complete 70% of the project, delivering 153 apartments, a 92-bed Premier Inn hotel and more than 53,800 sq ft of office space to support over 400 new jobs.

The office element was added as part of the updated planning application.

Leisure operators at Milburngate will include Everyman, which has chosen the scheme for its first boutique cinema in the North East, along with food and beverage outlets Miller and Carter, Pitcher & Piano and Bar + Block.

Milburngate will also feature riverside public realm to improve connectivity between the railway station, riverside and city centre.

Milburngate

With detailed planning consent in place, the scheme’s developers will now receive tenders from a group of shortlisted contractors. A construction partner will be chose in January, with work due to commence shortly after.

Completion of phase one is expected in early 2021.

Milburngate is being delivered by a joint venture between property developer Arlington Real Estate and the Richardson family.

Arlington Real Estate MD Allan Cook said: “We’ve been working closely with the council and local stakeholders to ensure that we what we deliver Milburngate is right for everyone involved.

“Securing this planning consent now is a real milestone moment for both Milburngate and Durham City as we can now move forward with construction in the New Year.”

He continued: “Milburngate is a development of regional significance, that will not only help address the urgent need for high quality residential, offices and retail and leisure space in the city, it will also set a new benchmark for quality and make a meaningful contribution to securing the city’s social and economic future for generations to come.”

Ben Holmes, director at Richardsons, the family behind the Freemans Reach scheme in Durham city centre, commented: “Milburngate will have a significant positive impact on the quality and diversity of Durham City’s leisure offering, alongside the introduction of important residential properties and new offices, all of which will enhance the vibrancy of the riverside, and the city centre.

“Attracting new residents, visitors and businesses will be of social and economic benefit to Durham City drawing people in from across the North East and from further afield.”