Durham bus depot set for housing scheme (From The Northern Echo)

Durham bus depot set for housing scheme

5:19pm Thursday 9th February 2012 in Durham City News By Mark Tallentire

A CITY centre bus depot is set to be demolished and replaced by an exclusive housing estate, under a multi-million pound scheme unveiled on Thursday.

Arriva is poised to vacate its Waddington Street depot, in Durham; allowing Gentoo to build 20 top-end townhouses, with up to five bedrooms each, on the site.

Arriva faced public outcry in 2010 after closing two depots and sending extra buses to Waddington Street, with complaints of excessive noise, vibrations and fumes into the early hours.

The firm quickly diverted some vehicles to a new depot on Belmont industrial estate. Now Arriva wants to shift all its Durham traffic to Belmont.

Nigel Featham, managing director of Arriva North East, said he hoped operations would be relocated by the end of the year.

"This relocation will be greatly beneficial to the local community, our employees and the operational requirements of the business," he said.

Gentoo, which has owned Sunderland’s council houses since 2001, put its housing proposals on display at Waddington Street United Reformed Church hall on Thursday.

Colin Wood, the firm’s head of land, planning and development, said: "We are trying to create classic Victorian properties but with private gardens and two car parking spaces. They will be family accommodation."

Most of the homes will be towards Flass Street, with garages towards Western Hill.

The plot is next to Flass Vale local nature reserve.

John Childs, of Friends of Flass Vale, said: "It would be lovely to see the site turned back into a meadow but that’s not going to happen.

"We’re happy to co-operate (with Gentoo) to our mutual advantage. We’re obviously concerned there’s no damage to the value during or as a result of the construction."

Gentoo officials have agreed to hold further talks with the Friends shortly.

A planning application could be submitted next month and building could begin by the end of the year, with the homes available to buy in 2013. Neville’s Cross councillor Nigel Martin said: "The redevelopment of the bus depot site will be welcome and, so long as done sensitively in relation to neighbouring Flass Vale nature reserve, will be a distinct improvement to the area."