PLANS to move a council headquarters have received more criticism from local councillors.

Durham County Council has announced plans to move to a new building in Durham City Centre, which would be built on the current car park at The Sands.

The city’s new parish council has now backed a motion to oppose the relocation.

Cllr Richard Ormerod said: “This relocation would be detrimental to the local community and would cause problems with parking, would create an unsustainable traffic situation on Providence Row, Claypath and the wider city centre and would further diminish the air quality in Durham city.”

Chairwoman cllr Elizabeth Scott said the authority would write to the leader and chief executive of the county council to ask them to consider moving to the new business park at Aykley Heads or to another more suitable site.

She added: “We represent the voice of local residents who are sick and tired of being rail-roaded by Durham County Council. The plans at The Sands will serve no-one well and we must oppose them in the strongest possible terms.”

The council wants to relocate as part of plans to redevelop Aykley Heads as a business park, which it hopes will create up to 6,000 jobs.

The new headquarters will be around a third smaller than County Hall and the council says The Sands was chosen following detailed analysis.

Sarah Robson, head of economic development and housing, has said there will be public consultation in the coming weeks so people can see the plans.