CAMPAIGNERS who are against the proposed location of a new civic building are getting ready to hand in a petition which has been signed by hundreds of people.

About 850 people have signed the petition against Durham County Council’s plans to build a new headquarters at The Sands, in Durham city.

The authority wants to move from its current base in Aykley Heads so County Hall can be demolished and a business park built on the land, which it hopes could create up to 6,000 jobs.

But the plans to put the new headquarters at The Sands has resulted in public outcry from people living in the city and further afield, with calls for it to be sited elsewhere.

They are asking the council to look at alternative options, including putting a smaller building at Aykley Heads, because of concerns about increased traffic and pollution, the appearance of the building, the loss of open space along the riverbanks and the impact on wildlife.

So far, almost 800 objections to the scheme have been lodged with the council, while eight letters of support have been sent in, including ones from Business Durham, Durham Business Improvement District and Durham Markets.

Meanwhile councillor Elizabeth Scott, leader of the City of Durham Parish Council, has voiced concerns about the erection of several advertising hoardings at Aykley Heads for the new park, which the council described as “usual practice”.

Cllr Scott said: “It gives the message they are very confident the plans to relocate County Hall are going to happen.

“It’s more evidence that they don’t care what anyone thinks.”

Sarah Robson, head of economic development at Durham County Council, said: “The development of Aykley Heads as a strategic employment site is an important part of the council’s future plans and has the aim of creating up to 6,000 jobs and generating £400m of investment into the county.

“The signs have been designed and installed to give potential inward investors the vision for the site. This is usual practice as part of the overall marketing of a major development site and supports our inward investment initiative for jobs and economic growth.

“National planning legislation directs local authorities to consider their own planning applications and so it is commonplace for councils to do this. For example, the planning authority regularly consider applications for new schools.

“We have robust procedures in place to ensure the appropriate separation of functions between the section of the council making an application and the planning committee determining it.”

The parish council has written to the secretary of state asking for the decision to be called in.