Former Ice Rink site
The Importance of the Site
As the opportunities across the whole of the centre of Durham have been explored in more detail, it has become apparent that the greatest concentration over the period of the Durham City Vision is focused around Framwellgate Reach, with the site of the former Ice Rink at the fulcrum point.
The visual prominence of this site has always been recognised, hence the concern voiced by most who have been involved in the development of the Durham City Vision that it should be occupied by such a poor building, an eyesore that should be removed.
Its importance to the Vision and strategy cannot be overemphasised, and relates to a range of key factors:
• As a building and also as a site it dominates this length of the river and is clearly prominent in views along and across the river, and in views from above on both banks and from Millburngate and Millennium Bridges.
• It marks one of only two points in the City centre where there is the potential to transform the relationship between the activities and built fabric of the City centre and the river (the other being the site of the current Swimming Pool and adjacent land).
• The massive financial and cultural investment represented by the Gala Theatre complex is to be strengthened by the completion of the Walkergate development, and the former Ice Rink is the opportunity to link these developments and their public terraces to the water’s edge.
Complementary Development Opportunities
There is a concentration of further development opportunities focused the site which have yet to be realised but which are central to this Vision:
• The development of the residential site in Back Silver Street
• The development of the Radison Hotel on Framwellgate Riverside
• Development of the proposed swimming pool on the Sixth Form College playing fields
• The redevelopment of poorly used and unused sites in Claypath
• The refurbishment of parts of The Gates Shopping Centre over the period of the Durham City Vision, including the creation of new and high quality pedestrian connections across the river
• The potential to redevelop or substantially reconfigure Millburngate House over the implementation of the Vision
• The concept for the Necklace Park, which is central to the Durham City Vision, has identified this site as the “clasp”, locking the ribbon along the river into the fabric of the City centre. This site forms the northern gateway into the City centre from the green river valley to the north, and is the first point of contact between greenspace and the City centre.
These factors make the future of this site of paramount importance. Its visual prominence, functional and physical connections and catalytic impact on wider regeneration strategies demand a special use with a special building and landscape form. This cannot be met by a conventional development for a mundane use, of any sort, and certainly not one that occupies the whole parcel and ignores the visual, social and cultural importance of the site.
Long Standing Aspirations
There has been a long standing City Council aspiration for the site to be used for public open space, an extension of The Sands into the heart of the City centre, creating a new City park. This predates the Millennium Project and was one of the propositions that were part of the Millennium package. The wider urban design work that was part of the Millennium Project explored the approach to the redevelopment of the Ice Rink Building, and set parameters for new use of the site; that it should continue the terracing down the slope to the water’s edge, and that nothing done on the site should prejudice views to the water from the Walkergate or Gala Theatre developments.
During the preparation of this Durham City Vision, discussions with the Durham City centre Partnership and discussions with the Durham Voices and with other stakeholders, reveal competing objectives for the site. A planning application for a residential lead, mixed use scheme on this site is currently at the centre of a call-in Inquiry.
There are those who feel that the only appropriate option is no development of the site: that it should be turned over to public open space, as a forecourt to the Gala and the Walkergate development at the point where it connects to the river. There are those who would like to see a major cultural uses – a museum or gallery – as part of a new landscape space. There are those who feel that it should be treated as a site for iconic development with a major employment use or a special attraction – in the past the Regional Assembly; in the future perhaps a conference centre.
As it is the site now has planning permission for a predominantly residential, mixed use development that will bring life back to this stretch of the river and which incorporates open space and facilities for cultural uses.
The Site Today and Tomorrow
The former ice rink building is a corrugated sheet steel shed, accessed from entrances to the north and south, with areas of car parking adjoining both entrances. To the immediate south of the ice rink building is the old Bishop’s Mill, a watermill powered via a millrace leading from the nearby weir on the River Wear, which dates from the 12th century, though little of the original building remains. The scale and historic character of the old Mill, which is principally single storey, of stone construction with local red pantile roofing, is in marked contrast to the ice rink.
However, so important is this site that a very long term objective needs to be set to ensure that, if and when its future is again considered, the full range of its potential is taken into account, not only in terms of its relationship to its immediate surroundings, but in terms of its contribution to the culture and spirit of the city as a whole.
It is for this reason that the Vision for the city centre still advocates a very special use for this very special site, and that the opportunity to implement a new iconic development should be kept under continuous review.
