The new Durham University facility at Aykley Heads in the city will create 15 jobs and house a supercomputer, data hall and offices. Plans were approved by Durham County Council’s planning committee on Friday.
The university reportedly explored several sites in Durham City, with Plot D at Aykley Heads considered the most suitable. The new centre will replace a previous outline proposal for three office blocks at Aykley Heads.
A masterplan for the redevelopment received outline planning permission for the development of a business park in 2021. The wider site is owned by Durham County Council and is being developed by the local authority and Durham University for data-intensive businesses, creating high-value jobs and helping support the local and regional economy.
(Image: Durham University)
But residents questioned the council’s decision to allow the change and the future of the site.
The City of Durham Parish Council said: “What is being proposed for the data centre is in design terms more like a large warehouse than the illustrations of high quality office developments illustrated in the consented scheme.
“The proposed footprint seemed to be over four times greater than in the approved masterplan for Plot D. The number of jobs in the proposed data centre is between seven and 15 jobs instead of the anticipated 200 to 300 on Plot D.”
On the reduced jobs, the council said: “This would be a notable reduction compared to the direct jobs that could have been expected from the extant outline consent for office space on this site, as highlighted by objections.
“However, both uses fall under the same use class and are therefore consistent with the masterplan, the loss of potential jobs would not be a reasonable reason to resist granting permission for the current proposal.”
Durham Constabulary’s headquarters and Durham County Council’s County Hall are also located at Aykley Heads.
Michael Hurlow, of the City of Durham Trust, said the proposals “fails to deliver on the promise of delivering a high-quality business park at Aykley Heads.”
He added: “The building falls considerably short of the standards expected.”
But Neville’s Cross ward councillors Liz Brown and Elizabeth Scott supported the new plans.
Cllr Brown said: “I know the Aykley Heads Strategic Employment Site was originally going to provide 4-6,000 jobs, an aspirational total that is no longer achievable in this post-Covid world. Cllr Scott and I see this development as a catalyst which will bring other high-tech companies into this area.”
Recommended reading:
Subscribe to The Northern Echo now.
A statement from Durham Unviersity read: “The location of a supercomputer at Aykley Heads, together with skills and expertise from the University to help businesses benefit from the power of high-performance computing, would both attract new businesses to Durham and enhance the productivity of existing businesses in the region.”
“The proposed data centre will deliver significant social, economic, and environmental benefits. Socially, it will enhance Durham University’s and the city’s position as a global leader in research, support education and skills development in technology, and inspire young people through regional engagement activities.
“Economically, the development will generate new jobs, attract businesses to the region, and equip the local workforce with advanced skills, contributing greatly to growth in the local and wider North East economy plus act as a catalyst for market exposure on Aykley Heads.”