Milburngate construction to begin early 2019 after planning permissions granted.
CGI image of the Premier Inn hotel at Milburngate
The developers of Milburngate have announced that construction of the landmark living, working and leisure destination will begin in the New Year after an updated planning application was granted permission by Durham County Council.
As a result, 70 percent of the project will be completed in the first phase of development, which will feature a greater mix of uses, including 153 apartments, a 92-bed, flagship Premier Inn hotel, and 5,000 square metres of offices that will support more than 400 new jobs.
The inclusion of the offices, which was not originally part of the first phase, will also support the immediate need for high quality, business accommodation in the city.
The homes, offices and hotel will be joined by nationally-recognised, premium leisure occupiers including Everyman, which made its first commitment to the North East with an agreement to open a boutique cinema at Milburngate, together with bar and restaurants Bar + Block and Miller and Carter.
In addition, the planning approvals enable the developers to bring forward the completion of Milburngate’s riverside public realm. This will deliver 85 percent of the development’s public space as part of phase one, helping provide crucial connectivity, not only through the development, but between the railway station, riverside and the city centre.
Following this detailed planning consent, the developers will now receive tenders from a group of shortlisted contractors, with the chosen construction partner selected in January and work commencing shortly after. Completion of the first phase is targeted at early 2021.
Milburngate is a £150m development being delivered by a joint venture of Arlington Real Estate and the Richardson family who have successfully delivered a number of strategically-important regeneration projects across the region, including Freemans Reach in Durham city centre.
Allan Cook, Managing Director of Arlington Real Estate, 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.
“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, said: “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.”