A multi-million pound retail park development is set to breathe a new commercial lease of life into a run down corner of Durham City.

The completion of the ambitious project will realise the fulfilment of a vision of two prominent North East businessmen, the late Ian McIntyre and Sunderland developer Joe Laidler.

Eight years ago with a swathe of industrial land in their ownership, Ian and Joe had the dream of carrying out a major development at Dragonville in Durham.

After a failed attempt to establish a Morrison's supermarket, they formed Dragonville Developments Ltd (DDL) and proceeded to piece together further land to establish a 200,000 sq ft retail park.

Tragically in 2002 Ian died very suddenly, just as the venture was finally coming together, leaving his wife Nancy and a long serving colleague Pauline Black, working alongside Joe to carry on the project.

The planning application for the retail park was, however, called in by the Deputy Prime Minister's Department, but later received full planning permission and since then it has been full steam ahead for the DDL team to complete the scheme.

"Ian was a brilliant businessman and I wish I had met him 30 years earlier,'' said Joe.

"His untimely death has meant other members of his family and staff taking on new mantles and they have quite simply done an excellent job and Ian would have been so proud of them for realising his dream,'' added Joe.

The new project will bring hundreds of new jobs to the area and Company Secretary Pauline Black explained: "DDL's investment in this site will bring much needed national retailers to the east of Durham City to meet consumer demand.''

Ensuring the huge role that Ian McIntyre played in the development will never be forgotten, the link road through the retail park is to be named "McIntyre Way.''

When it is officially opened to-day prior to the opening of B&Q.