DURHAM Police's plans to build a £15m headquarters said to be vital to its future have won the backing of councillors.

Despite facing a 20 per cent grant cut between last year and 2015, Durham Police wants to use some of its financial reserves to build a new three-storey, pavilionstyle headquarters yards from its current base in Aykley Heads, Durham City.

Durham county councillors backed the proposal at County Hall, Durham, yesterday, after police authority chairman Peter Thompson said it was vital the development proceeded.

Police chiefs say their current 1960s-built base is no longer fit for purpose, with maintenance and repair costs of £1.6m a year. Completing all major repairs needed would cost £4.7m, councillors were told.

The new base, accommodating up to 480 officers and staff over 5,650sq metres of floorspace, would be ecofriendly, and save about £750,000 a year.

Councillors also backed plans to build about 230 houses, mostly costly executive homes, on the current police headquarters site and move a grade II-listed radio mast, designed by Brutalist engineer Sir Ove Arup, from the current to the new site.

The authority will give the council £150,000 to compensate the loss of two playing fields, and £1.6m to pay for offsite affordable housing. Several councillors said those figures were too low.

Councillor George Richardson said the council was penalising young people.

However, the applications to build the headquarters, move the mast and create the housing estate were all approved.

The first two were approved unanimously. Coun Richardson voted against the housing scheme. Further detailed applications for that element are expected to follow.

The construction of the headquarters must now be referred to the Government for final approval. The relocation of the mast is subject to a contract being agreed.

Afterwards, Mr Thompson said he was extremely pleased.