PLANS are being made to move a coach park out of a city centre.

Durham County Council wants to move Durham’s coach park from the city centre as part of its plans to build a new headquarters on the land.

A planning application has been submitted by the authority to move the coach park to Belmont Park and Ride, on the outskirts of the city.

The council’s statement said: “The proposed facility will replace the existing coach park located in Durham City, which will disappear with the development of the new county council HQ.

“The coach park will be accessed using the existing bus only link from the A690 with coaches exiting through the existing park and ride and onto the A690 via the existing signal controlled junction.”

The park would have 30 spaces.

The new site is between the existing park and ride and the A1 and is currently grazed good quality semi-improved grassland, surrounded by scrub and woodland

To compensate for the loss of grassland habitat, the council would make a £3,700 contribution towards creating a new one at Stoney Heap, near Leadgate.

The existing coach park is next to The Sands, in the city centre, and is part of the site earmarked for the council’s new build headquarters, which it hopes to start work on next year.