Estate's dramatic iole (From The Northern Echo)

Estate's dramatic iole

5:56pm Thursday 16th February 2012 in Chester-le-Street News

A COUNTRY estate on the outskirts of Chester-le-Street is to be the backdrop for a period drama.

The Seventh Eral of Durham’s 1,400-acre property, which once housed a lion park and used to be home to the Durham County Show, is being opened up to the public.

The 19th Century Lambton Castle is to be used for at least a year for filming.

Parts of the estate are also being opened up the public as venues for up-market weddings, anniversary and birthday celebrations.

There are also plans to hold events such as country fairs and classical music productions on parts of the estate.

Details of the production are being kept under wraps but there is a planning application in with Durham County Council related to the site’s use for filming.

County councillors yesterday (ThursFeb16) granted five premises licences for the castle, Biddick Hall, the Estate Office, the Raceground and the Walled Garden and Riverside.

David Wilson, agent for Lambton Events, told the north area statutory licence committee that the castle would be used by a production company making a period drama for at least a year, possibly more.

He declined to give details to the committee and after the meeting when questioned by reporters.

The castle and Biddick Hall and their immediate grounds will be used for holding receptions and a licence to hold civil wedding ceremonies is being sought.

About eight residents from the Rickleton and Picktree area objected to the applications, mainly on the grounds of noise generated by the events and potential traffic generation from an access to the estate off Bonemill Lane.

The committee heard that measures were being taken to tackle any traffic issues and that no noisy events such as rock concerts were planned.

Mr Wilson told the committee: "The last thing we on the Lambton Estate want is to be a nuisance neighbours, whether they are residents on the estates or in the vicinity of it."

He also said that the estate hoped to offer "exclusivity and privacy’’ to its customers and had no plans to become a "wedding factory’’.

He said it would be largely catering for gatherings of less than 500 people.