Former Durham ice rink plans on display (From The Advertiser Series)

Former Durham ice rink plans on display

4:13pm Wednesday 17th October 2012 in News By Mark Tallentire, Reporter (Durham)

REVISED plans for a £27m regeneration scheme went on public display today (October 17).

Under the Durham Riverside Renewal project, 4,000 square metres of office space, a restaurant and a cafe would be built at Freeman’s Reach – a Durham city centre site formerly home to Durham Wasps ice hockey team and more recently used as a bowling alley.

Since an earlier public consultation event in June, the amount of restaurant space has been reduced – replaced by more offices.

The biggest building would be four storeys high, gradually stepping up from the River Wear.

There would also be an energy project to harness the power of the river and a riverside walking route.

The developers, which include Carillion, hope the project will be completed during 2015.

One office block, closer to The Sands, would be occupied by National Savings and Investments (NS&I), which plans to move from Milburngate House.

Neil McMillan, from Carillion, said the second building was dependent on finding a tenant but there had already been some interest and he hoped to secure a tenant within six months.

The latest plans were on display in The Studio, at the Gala Theatre, in Durham, today.

Residents can also make comments online at durhamriversiderenewal.co.uk until Friday, November 2.

Carillion hopes to submit a planning application next month and start work on site next summer.