DEVELOPERS are making plans for the first “Grade A” offices in a city for more than a decade.

Property investment group Hanro and iMpeC Developments is constructing the new office space at the Fram Well building, which is off Framwelgate Peth in Durham.

The companies are hoping to start work on the project at the start of next year, with it to be completed by next summer.

The building next to Durham Railway Station, which was originally an engineering workshop, has the potential to attract up to 150 jobs to the city.

Neil McMillan, of iMpeC Developments, which has been instrumental in a number of significant regeneration projects in the city, including Freeman’s Reach, which is home to the Passport Office and National Savings & Investments, and Milburngate, said: “Durham is a city where quality businesses want to be located.

“Its geography, its amenities and, most importantly, its access to talent, from one of the UK’s top universities, make it a highly attractive business destination.

“However, the economic potential of the city has been constrained for far too long due to a severe lack of available modern office space. The Fram Well building will start to address that.”

According to research by agents Cushman & Wakefield, in the first six months of 2018, there were enquiries for the equivalent of more than 1.1 million sq. ft. of office space in the North East.

Of this number the company calculates that 650,000 sq. ft. would have considered Durham city, and nearly 250,000 sq. ft. citing the city as being within their search criteria.

The developers say the three-floor building, with 12,000 square foot of space, will rejuvenate the area and create a high-specification, flexible, open-plan ‘Grade A’ office, featuring “significantly improved” landscaping.

It has been designed by Mawson Kerr, an emerging and creative Newcastle-based architects practice that was featured in the final of Channel 4’s Grand Designs competition for a property in Northumberland.

Mr McMillan added: “We have placed high importance on working with our architects Mawson Kerr to design a building that people will enjoy working in and that delivers on our guiding design principles of staff well being and productivity.

“I believe The Fram Well will appeal to those businesses who value attracting and retaining the best talent and who recognise the important role the workplace plays in this.”

Greg Davison, Partner, Cushman & Wakefield, said “There is an increasing realisation by occupiers that to recruit the highest calibre of talent, ease of access and a diverse amenity offer within reach of the office is a key factor; in most cases a city centre location maximises these attributes.

“The Fram Well development is incredibly well-positioned to create this opportunity at the heart of Durham, giving businesses the best platform to attract and retain high quality staff.”

Planning permission for the scheme was secured earlier this year.