Calls for Durham’s ‘white elephant’ development to finally open

Calls have been made for an almost-finished leisure complex that promised to create over 1,000 jobs to finally open.

The Milburngate leisure complex in Durham, which includes a hotel, cinema and residential development, was due to open in 2022. However, it has sat unfinished ever since, after the developer behind the project fell through.

Mary Foy MP described the building as a ‘white elephant’

Local Labour MP Mary Kelly Foy said the £120m “white elephant” at the entrance of Durham could no longer afford to stay shut, urging the Reform UK-led council to finally oversee its opening.

Tony Hanson, Durham County Council’s corporate director of regeneration, said the development was led by the private sector and “responsibility for completing rests with the funder”.

In 2025, the then coalition-led council suggested buying the development at an estimated £55m to end the development’s uncertain future in the city.

Instead, that decision was put under review after Reform UK took control of the council in May, taking two thirds of the new council.

More than 1000 permanent jobs would be created

Foy said: “Unfortunately what the public see is a big white elephant right in the middle of the city centre and we don’t know whether it’s going to, when or whether it will open or not.”

She continued, stating the project had been expected to create more than 1,000 permanent jobs.

“While the place isn’t open, that’s 1,000 jobs in a place where we desperately need jobs that aren’t going to happen,” she said.

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Hanson said local MPs had been notified that the development was privately owned and responsibility for it did not fall on the council, however the authority was in talks with the funder.

He added: “We strongly share people’s desire for progress and that is why we have been, and still are, in discussions with Milburngate’s funder, to help them conclude a way forward on the development.”

Foy has pushed for further action to be taken since the 12th February 2025, including a letter shared to Instagram where she urged Amanda Hopgood, leader of the Durham County Council to “launch an independent review of this process to identify the reasons why this important scheme has remained empty and unfinished for so long”.

The leisure complex is set to boost the local economy

Hanson said he understood the funder was expected to make a decision about the development soon.

Paul Howard, manager at Durham’s Business Improvement District, said issues with the development had been going on for “far too long”. He then said “everybody wants to see it open, but we want some clarification more than anything on what’s happening next”.

He added Milburngate could have a huge impact on businesses locally, especially with big brands that had been expected to move in such as a Brewdog pub, an Everyman cinema and Premier Inn hotel.

“The office space, the leisure and hospitality all come in together,” he noted. “Having people living in the city centre is always a bonus. Having the office space, which we we’re very short of in Durham City is, is a real big bonus.

“And the new names that are coming into the city will be a good attraction factor.”

Featured image via Instagram

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