A LAW firm has advised development bosses on a £27m regeneration scheme on the former home of Durham Wasps ice hockey team.

A team of lawyers from Bond Dickinson, based in Newcastle, worked with the Homes and Communities Agency and Durham County Council on Durham Riverside Renewal, which will create and support 800 jobs.

The ice rink building, which has been empty since it was last used as a bowling alley in 2009, has been demolished.

The project includes new offices for National Savings and Investments, which will move from its home on the opposite side of the river in Milburngate House, ensuring 395 jobs remain in Durham City.

Ian Ward, Bond Dickinson projects and procurement partner, dealt with negotiations over development agreement, and was supported by Deborah Ramshaw, Antonia Murillo, Lee Parbery and Jeremy Bailey.

He said: “This is a very exciting development for Durham City that will regenerate a derelict site to create a modern, attractive and sustainable development, and safeguard and attract hundreds of jobs.”

The site will also have a hydro-turbine making it the UK's first hydro-powered city centre development.

The turbine will harness the power of the river to create electricity, and when the building is not in use, electricity will be fed into the National Grid.