COUNCILLORS kicked out one large-scale student accommodation scheme but approved another today (Tuesday, April 7).

The joy of Durham residents at Peveril Securities’ £31 million project to create 363 student beds at the former County Hospital being rejected quickly turned to despair as Durham County Council’s county planning committee then backed Student Castle’s £50 million scheme for 445 beds on lower Claypath.

Further, it is feared both schemes may still go ahead, if Peveril appeals the committee’s verdict – potentially leaving Durham with another 800 student beds, on top of 2,000 already approved, at a time when Durham University expects to expand by only 359 students by 2019-20.

Professor Graham Towl, the University’s pro-vice-chancellor, had asked the committee to delay voting on both projects until the future of the County Durham Plan, the council’s 20-year economic masterplan, is decided.

Peveril wants to convert the 1850s-built County Hospital into 82 studios, demolish some later extensions and build two new blocks comprising 281 flats, plus a student hub.

Residents and councillors queued up to criticise the scheme, calling it unsustainable, unneeded, intrusive, overbearing and monolithic.

Simon Chadwick, for Peveril, said the hospital would be attractively refurbished and the scale and massing of the scheme had been reduced since planning permission was refused last July.

However, Cllr Grenville Holland said nothing had changed and to approve the scheme would be a betrayal of the people of Durham.

Cllr Mike Dixon, in contrast, suggested because 200 people had objected, that meant the county’s other 499,800 residents did not oppose the scheme.

Student Castle wants to demolish 18-29 Claypath and build 24 cluster flats and 310 studios, plus a gym and small cinema.

That would mean Oldfields having to move, but James Taylor, for the developers, said there would be “no undue pressure” on the renowned restaurant.

Mr Taylor also said the scheme would be of significant benefit to the conservation area.

But Dr Douglas Pocock, for the City of Durham Trust, predicted it would become an albatross round the neck of the city centre and Labour’s Roberta Blackman-Woods said the development would be bigger than Durham prison and not look too different.

Student accommodation will on the agenda again next Tuesday (April 14), when the council’s central and east planning committee considers plans to create 214 beds at Kepier Court.