PROPOSED development in Durham city and the continued expansion of the city's university continues to dominate discussions of a trust charged with its conservation.

The City of Durham Trust will discuss the last 12 months at its annual general meeting, which takes place tonight at Elvet Riverside, New Elvet.

It has published its 77th annual report outlining its activities over the last year, which have focused plans from Durham County Council, including its County Plan and proposed new headquarters in the city, and Durham University, including the expansion of its sports facilities at Maiden Castle and its new teaching and learning centre in South Road.

The trust has been critical of the "excessive" amount of housing allocated for Durham in the County Plan, amounting to 42 per cent of the total proposed, and of two new relief roads to the west and north of the city.

It also suggests all future purpose built student accommodation (PBSA) should be built on the university estate.

In the last year, four PBSAs have opened, been completed or are nearly completed – at Duresme Court in Neville's Cross, Rushford Court, in the grounds of the former County Hospital, off North Road, Dunholme, at The Riverwalk and the almost complete Student Castle, in Claypath.

Trustees also paid tribute to Sir William Whitfield, of St Helen Auckland, who died in March. The architect, who was a patron of the trust, was responsible for designing things like some of Durham University's buildings on its science site and the old car park at Leazes Bowl and was known nationally for his Paternoster Square scheme at St Paul's cathedral and Richmond House, which faces the Cenotaph in London.

The annual general meeting starts at 7.15pm and will be followed at 8pm by a lecture by trust’s honorary secretary Douglas Pocock, which is entitled Durham: ‘a perfect little city’?