Summary: Theme 3: A City with a Diverse and Resilient Economy 2017

What kind of economy should we plan for? A sustainable and vibrant local economy, supporting large and small businesses, retail and tourism, which encourages diverse range of employment is realistic. Making the most of the available strategic and local sites to diversify the economy needs to be made. Also, promoting a competitive City centre with balanced retail development, benefiting from online shopping, tourism and leisure is vital.

Policy E1: Larger Employment Sites

Provision will be made for modern office space on the County Council’s scheme for a prestige business park at Aykley Heads, and the development of high-tech small and medium-sized enterprises and business incubators at both Aykley Heads and Durham Science Park, Mountjoy.

Full policy here.

Policy E2: Other Employment Sites

Sites for finance and business services are scarce and so support will be given to three small sites at Blagdon Depot, Frankland Lane: Providence Row Depot site; and Fowler’s Yard, and windfall brownfield sites that become available.

Full policy here.

Policy E3: Retail Development

Encouragement will be given to proposals that would contribute to the vitality of the primary retail area and to its proposed extension into North Road and the development area of Milburngate House. Other uses, such as leisure, recreation, entertainment, sport arts, culture and tourism will be encouraged.

Full policy here.

Policy E4: Primary and Secondary Frontages

This policy brings up-to-date the definitions of the areas which are to be primarily shopping and the areas where a wider range of uses would be allowed, including drinking establishments and hot food takeaways as well as the conditions that would applied to all applications.

Full policy here.

Next section: Summary. Theme 4: A City with Attractive and Affordable Places to Live