DEVELOPERS say a £30m scheme to boost a Durham's night-time economy will not become part of the pub crawl circuit.

Amec started work three months ago on the redevelopment of the Walkergate car park. The long-awaited development will include a multi-storey car park, hotel run by a budget operator, apartments, restaurants and caf-bars as well as public spaces and Millennium Steps leading to Millennium Place.

Trouble caused by drinkers has long been an issue for some city centre residents, particularly those living near North Road, which is home to two nightclubs and late-closing pubs.

During a presentation on the development by Amec to Durham City Council, residents raised concerns that Walkergate's licensed premises could attract circuit drinkers from North Road.

But Matthew Crompton, the company's developments director, said he did not envisage it becoming another North Road. He and senior development surveyor Dan Needham said some of the units were designed to be restaurants and would be unsuitable as pubs and that lease conditions and on-site management would maintain the quality of the development.

They said high-calibre operators had been attracted and that the development would increase the city's tourist facilities and help to boost its earnings from visitors, as well as creating about 300 jobs.

Mr Crompton said the scheme had been re-designed from the plans of 1998, that included a multi-screen cinema, because of developments elsewhere in the city and changes in the leisure market.

He said a global slowing of cinema building caused that element of the scheme to fall through, but he felt the latest proposals were much better than the original scheme.

However, the city's retiring Labour MP Gerry Steinberg has described the development as 'second class for such a prime site.'

Mr Steinberg, who will stand down at the General Election after 18 years as Labour MP, said he wished the development 'every success when it is completed.'

But he added: "I am, however, extremely disappointed that after nearly two years the Lib Dem-controlled authority has decided to proceed with what can only be regarded as a second-class scheme for such a prime site.

"After the prestigious cinema was cut from the scheme I expressed my misgivings to the council and my fears that the project had deteriorated to offering no more than residents and pubs - the last thing the city needs in isolation."

Meanwhile, the city council's Liberal Democrat leader Fraser Reynolds declared the development would change this run-down area for the benefit of everyone who lives, works and visits Durham. He said: "We are pleased to have this development and we hope it will kick-start other development."