WORK is to begin this spring on a £30million project to transform a struggling shopping centre.

Clearbell Capital got the go-ahead to revamp The Gates, in Durham, last September and work is scheduled to begin on April 1.

The existing covered complex is to be made open air, with refurbished shops running from the existing North Road entrance to an expanded Framwelgate Bridge entrance.

Big-name restaurants will front onto a new walkway overlooking the River Wear between Framwelgate and Milburngate bridges.

A six-screen Odeon cinema will be built towards Milburngate Bridge, above the existing car parks, which will be retained.

Finally, studio and cluster flats for 253 students will be built around and above the cinema.

Nick Berry, a partner at Clearbell, said he was very excited at how the project was progressing and hoped to create “a great new destination for Durham”.

Wilko, also known as Wilkinson’s, which has been The Gates’ 19,000sq ft anchor store since 2011, will not be part of the new complex, however.

The home and garden retailer has announced its Gates store will close tomorrow (Tuesday, January 19), to be replaced by a new branch at the Arnison Centre, Pity Me, opening the following day.

Three new jobs will be added, taking the total at the new 9,000sq ft store to 35.

The work on The Gates will be phased so that shops remaining will be able to stay open throughout.

Central Thai restaurant will move to new bigger premises and Mr Berry said he hoped Woven, the award-winning gents’ clothing store, would also stay within the complex.

It is hoped the work will be finished by June or July 2018, with university students first occupying the new accommodation from that October.

Mr Berry said: “It’s being well supported. The people we’re looking to bring into Durham are excited by the scheme. We’ve got some great names we’re going to bring in.

“It’s going to rejuvenate that part of Durham and support North Road.”

Separately, The Everyman Group is lined up to run a planned new multi-screen cinema nearby, as part of the £150m redevelopment of the Milburngate House site. But Mr Berry said the two groups were in talks, adding: “If we are successful, it will help them to be successful.”

Councillor Jan Blakey, the Mayor of Durham, will open the new Wilko store at the Arnison Centre at 9am on Wednesday (January 20), when there will be special offers and giveaways, followed by a family fun day on Saturday (January 23).

Branch manager Kay Armstrong said: “Arnison Retail Centre is a popular shopping destination with a strong retail offering. We’re excited to open the new store.”