A WALL of greenery is at the heart of plans to rescue a much-criticised city square and transform it into the cultural quarter it was always meant to be.

Covering the front of Clayport Library with shrubs and bushes in an experiment with “vertical gardening” is central to a project to revive Durham’s Millennium Place, which critics say has been reduced to no more than a windy gap and public toilet for revellers from the adjoining Walkergate complex of pubs, clubs and restaurants.

Backers hope the plaza will also hang onto Fenwick Lawson’s The Journey; reclaim a Tourist Information Centre (TIC); host more public art and events; and become a peaceful wildlife haven in the bustling city centre.

County councillors David Freeman and Richard Ormerod have pledged £9,500 for stage one – the greenery project. If that is successful, Heritage Lottery Fund support could be sought to take the scheme further.

The Journey, which depicts the founding of Durham by monks carrying St Cuthbert’s coffin, is currently at the centre of a “tug of love” between those who want to keep it in Millennium Place and use it as the bedrock of the area’s cultural revival and those who say it is being ignored and vandalised and must be moved the few hundred yards up to Durham Cathedral.

Durham County Council says it inspects The Journey daily and cleans it whenever required. However, a planning application to move it is in and two rival petitions are circulating, splitting the city’s civil society in two.

Durham’s Millennium Place TIC closed in October 2011 under council cutbacks; but it is hoped it could reopen if a campaign to establish a town council is successful.

Millennium Place was built at the turn of the century at a cost of £30m and opened by the Queen in May 2002. Its centrepiece, the Gala Theatre, survived severe financial problems in its first few months to become a respected arts venue; but it has become increasingly isolated as the area has been taken over by pubs and clubs.

Cllr Freeman said: “We understand that many members of the public want Millennium Place improving as it has not to date developed as anyone would wish. This project is very much a first step to address this and we hope that the council will take forward further environmental improvements.”

John Murphy, Durham Area Action Partnership (AAP) co-ordinator, said the AAP was yet to decide whether to fund the “living wall” project.

A county council planning committee will decide whether to allow The Journey to be moved in the next few weeks.