A Strategy for the University

Durham University is a major landowner within the City centre itself with a large number of sites on the edge of the City centre. As such, the University have the potential to greatly influence the function and fabric of the City.

THE UNIVERSITY ESTATE
The University has developed its own Estate Strategy which, for the purposes of the Durham City Vision, has been reviewed to enable this Vision to respond positively to the University’s aspirations and to check that the land use strategies are compatible.

  1. The Arts Faculty on the Peninsula and Elvet Waterside site in the City centre.
  2. The Science Faculty on the Science Site and Mountjoy.
  3. The Social Sciences Faculty on the Science Site and across South Road.

The key implications within the City centre are:

  • The evacuation of University uses from Old Elvet, Elvet Waterside and the car park.
  • The University offices and estates department to move from the Old Shire Hall to the Mountjoy Buildings.
  • The Botanic Gardens will be improved as a visitor attraction.
  • In the longer term, a Visitor Centre might be developed in the Palace Green Library building.

THE UNIVERSITY MASTER PLAN
In August 2005 Durham University Estates and Buildings Department commissioned Shepheard Epstein Hunter to prepare a master plan for the University’s land holdings. The aim of the master plan is to build on the aims of the 2004 Estates Strategy.

Given Durham University’s expansive land and property holdings throughout the City centre, it is important to make sure that this Durham City Vision dovetails with the University’s aspirations.

Despite the Durham City Vision and the University’s Estates Strategy being prepared in isolation, the two documents have many parallels, including:

  • A commitment to improving Elvet Waterside
  • Confirmation of the University’s intention to vacate their premises at Old Shire Hall
  • Improvements to the Botanical Gardens
  • Long term opportunity to redevelop St Hild and St Bede college.

STUDENT ACCOMMODATION
The presence of students in the City centre is a fundamental component of its vitality. As one of only a handful of “collegiate” universities in the country, Durham University provides a very substantial proportion of its own student accommodation and the proportion is growing. However there are parts of the City centre (Viaduct Quarter, for example) where private student accommodation is becoming dominant, leading to local frictions.

The Vision for Durham is to maintain student numbers living in the City centre but to seek proper strategies for location and management of such properties to protect local communities.