Work due to start on Durham Council HQ

Work to build a smaller, more affordable headquarters for Durham County Council is set to begin this month, with Kier acting as main contractor.

The authority said it is creating a new, more modern base in the heart of the city centre, accommodating 700 workspaces but only a third of the size of the current County Hall.

It also said that relocating the new HQ into the heart of Durham City will help provide an all year-round boost to the local economy. The city centre has excellent connectivity; through the train station, buses and our park and ride facilities.

Around 1,850 staff currently work in County Hall, of which 1,000 will be based at the new HQ and approximately 850 will relocate to our four key council office sites being developed across the county in Crook, Meadowfield, Seaham and Spennymoor.

The new building will be available for community use, with a number of rooms to hire. There will also be a small café for staff and the public to use and there will be a new public square.

The new council HQ is expected to be completed in Autumn 2021.