Green light for Prince Bishops’ Place redevelopment
Citrus Group, in joint venture with Galliard Homes, will proceed with the repositioning of the Durham shopping centre in a project that includes a hotel, student living and a public square.
Durham County Council has now approved the city centre project, which was submitted in March this year following a consultation last summer and 18 months of pre-application discussions.
The submitted scheme consists of shops and leisure uses along with public space, hotel and PBSA, and reflects a desire to update the centre and reposition it in a changing retail landscape.
James Taylor, regional director at Citrus Group, said: “It is fantastic news to get planning consent for the Prince Bishops redevelopment. It has been a really positive experience working with the Authority and a broad range of local stakeholders to get to this point.
“The scheme will be transformative for the city centre and it was great to see the planning committee support for the proposal. We look forward to continuing this journey through the delivery stages.”
David Hirschfield, director at Galliard Homes said: “We are delighted to work alongside our partner Citrus Group to achieve planning approval at committee for our first investment in Durham.
“The whole process has been a robust and rewarding experience allowing us to move to the next phases of delivering this prime regeneration scheme and we look forward to continue to widen our regeneration footprint within Durham and the North East.”
Opened in 1998, the shopping centre is located between Elvet Bridge and Market Square, overlooking the River Wear with extensive views of the historic castle and cathedral.
The well-used multi-storey car park will be retained, with new walkways, landscaping and pedestrian seating offering views across the river introduced to the wider scheme,.
The partners said the new square will cater for public events as the centrepiece of the scheme, accommodating the main entrances to the hotel and student accommodation as well as a selection of shops and restaurants.
Work is expected to start on site in mid-2025 with the student housing opening for autumn 2028.
Robert Dibden, planning director) at advisor Lichfields, said: “The scheme offers a unique opportunity to not only secure the sustainable future of the shopping centre, but also strengthen the vitality and viability of Durham City Centre more widely and create a vibrant destination where people will want to spend time.
“Importantly, it will also improve the overall design and appearance of the centre and make a far more positive contribution to the historic character of Durham City.”
