A new council strategy has been unveiled to kick-start Durham’s Aykley Heads business park, regenerate Stanley, and fund countywide jobs projects. The Joint Administration running Durham County Council (DCC) says that proposals to be considered by the council’s cabinet this week will create thousands of new jobs by kickstarting investment, giving the private sector the confidence to invest in the County.
The council, run cross-party by independents, Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, along with a Green and North East Party councillors, has decided to sell the controversial Sands building to Durham University. The plans would protect over 600 university jobs and create a further 160, keeping the university’s world class business school in the city. A planning application for a change of use for the Sands building is expected to be determined in July.
The new strategy, to be presented to Cabinet on Wednesday, will see a council-owned office building currently under construction at Aykley Heads being occupied by DCC, and the construction of a new, modest-sized civic building, doubling up as a conference centre for private businesses. A large run-down Grade II listed council office building in Stanley will also be renovated to begin the much needed regeneration of Front Street. Profit from the sale of the building at the Sands will also be ploughed into projects to create jobs across the county.
Cllr Amanda Hopgood, leader of DCC, explains: “We are ambitious about bringing jobs to the whole of County Durham. Residents were quite rightly appalled at the decision of the previous Labour administration to build the Sands building. Our plan will generate a surplus and cut the cost of running the council, protect and create employment, kick-start regeneration, and ensure that across the county we get the jobs boost we need.
“Labour’s plans were devoid of any recognition that we live in a county of half a million people spread across a thousand square miles, with over a dozen towns and hundreds of villages.”
Deputy leader Cllr Richard Bell, adds: “If we are to truly level up our county, we must ensure that both large and small businesses have the facilities they need to grow.
“There was a risk that we would be left with an empty building at Aykley Heads. Our strategy ensures that we don’t end up paying bills for vacant buildings. It also gives us the opportunity to invest for the future of our entire county.”
Leader of the Durham County Council Independent Group, Cllr John Shuttleworth, has also backed the plan: “We are particularly keen to make sure that smaller businesses, which are the backbone of our economy, have the opportunity to grow, not only in our city, but also in more rural areas. For far too long under Labour, the council failed to tap into the innovation and hardworking mentality of so many of our residents.”
The new administration at County Hall has hit the ground running in the first 10 months of control, confirming the reopening and expansion of the Durham Light Infantry Museum at Aykley Heads, giving the green light to investment of nearly £50m to bring over 1,250 jobs to NETPark, and agreeing to build over 500 new council homes.
Leader of the Durham Group of independents, Cllr Alan Shield, cabinet member for social inclusion, adds: “Our new council accommodation strategy is just the start. It will enable us to invest across the county, ensuring that no part of County Durham is left behind. High quality, well paid jobs should not just be for communities in the south, or our city. Places like Consett and Peterlee quite rightly also expect to see their share of investment.
“As well as the huge council investment that we are kick-starting, we will continue to work with local, regional, national and international businesses. After decades of under-performance, County Durham is now emerging as the place to live, the place to invest, and the place to visit, thanks to our forward thinking joint administration.”
The Special Cabinet meeting to agree the new plans will be broadcast live on the DCC YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/user/DurhamCouncil) from 9:30am on Wednesday 27 April.
