Durham County Council statement on Milburngate development

The local authority has previously vowed to open the high-profile site “as soon as practicable” — but only when safety standards are fully met.

The pledge comes amid continued scrutiny over fire safety issues and construction defects that have plagued the £120 million regeneration project, once envisioned as a gateway between Durham’s historic centre and its future Innovation District.

The Milburngate development in Durham City (Image: STUART BOULTON) A Durham County Council spokesperson provided a new statement this week, saying: “Our new leadership is discussing the development with the funder and any updates will be provided to relevant parties at the appropriate time.”

This reaffirms the council’s cautious but determined approach to acquiring and completing the development, which was thrown into uncertainty following the collapse of the main contractor, Tolent, in 2023.

It's understood that Council officers remain engaged in active discussions to bring the site into full use.

Paul Darby, the council’s corporate director of resources previously confirmed: “We aim to complete and open the development as soon as practicable, with options being explored to open parts of the development as works are completed.”

Launched as a joint venture between Arlington Real Estate and Richardson, the Milburngate project was first slated to open in 2022.

The delayed Milburngate development (Image: STUART BOULTON) Promoted as a transformative development for the city, it was designed to include 153 high-quality built-to-rent apartments, Grade A office space, and a leisure and hospitality offering, including tenants such as Premier Inn, Everyman Cinema, and BrewDog.

However, the project has faced repeated setbacks.

Tolent’s administration led to construction halting in 2023, while fire safety defects — including alleged issues with the steel framework’s suppression systems — triggered further delays and investigations.

Despite announcing the closure of 10 of its UK bars earlier this month, BrewDog has reaffirmed its plans for Milburngate, where it has committed to operating a bar in the as-yet-unopened leisure complex.

A BrewDog spokesperson said: “The recent announcement regarding bar closures has no impact on our plans for Durham. It remains our intention to operate the site and we continue to engage with local parties to that end.”

The roundabout leading up to the Milburngate development (Image: STUART BOULTON) In February 2025, Durham County Council’s Cabinet agreed to begin negotiations to potentially acquire the Milburngate site. However, the deal was made conditional on meeting strict safety standards, described by the council as “red lines.”

Susan Robinson, head of corporate property and land at the council, previously said “We can assure everyone that the buildings will only open when it is safe for them to do so.”

Concerns over the lack of a Fire Safety Certificate have previously been raised by local councillor Bill Moist, who warned that unless safety conditions were fully satisfied, the council “should not proceed” with any acquisition.

Responding to those concerns previously, Arlington Real Estate director Allan Cook confirmed: “The defects will be rectified before practical completion, once the council gives consent for the remediation works to begin.”

Read more on Milburngate

• Milburngate site update issued by Durham County Council

• Council hopes to buy delayed Durham City Milburngate site

He noted that the issues were identified following Tolent’s collapse and that remediation plans were shared with both the council and the funder.

While the timeline remains uncertain, both the council and BrewDog have reiterated their commitment to the long-awaited project.

The pledge to proceed only once full safety certification is achieved offers a cautious but hopeful path forward for what remains one of Durham City’s most ambitious regeneration schemes.