Durham City – What needs to change

Summary of answers to the question “What needs to change?”

The most frequent comments are listed in descending order of popularity, i.e. most popular are at top – the ones starred are particularly recurrent.

***Redress the huge imbalance towards student accommodation, and the various problems this causes
**Change the County Council’s approach to making planning decisions: take on board the views of local residents
**Increase the diversity of retail outlets (both big names and small independent/speciality **shops); reduce business rates/rents
*Provide more housing (e.g. affordable housing; housing for families, older people and young professionals)
*Preserve and protect the City’s heritage
*Protect green spaces/green belt and the environment
*Improve traffic management and provide a better road system
*Upgrade North Road
*Improve the provision for pedestrians
Promote and support tourism (e.g. reopen the Tourist Information Office)
Deal with littering and clean the streets
Tackle the drinking culture leading to anti-social behaviour
Provide more entertainment facilities (e.g. a multiplex cinema)
Set up a Durham City Council
Provide more community, leisure, and cultural facilities
Improve the Riverside
Develop balanced communities
Tackle parking issues (e.g. extend the Park & Ride facilities)
Improve public transport
Improve the Market Place
Improve infrastructural facilities
Improve the Bus Station
Improve cycling facilities