FORMER Durham City planning officer Tony Scott wrote an interesting feature, arguing that the city was too small for mass expansion (Echo, Aug 2).

He wrote: β€œIt is the heart of the historic city that will eventually break under the strain and pressure of increased development.”

So how come Durham County Council wants to build a new County Hall on The Sands, right in the city centre?

I have written in these pages before that Crook has perfectly good council offices which were once the headquarters of the now defunct Wear Valley District Council.

The county should relocate there and divert the extra traffic away from Durham City. The extra footfall would also be beneficial to the economy of Crook.

Neil McKay, Lanchester.