Milburngate Time-Lapse Update

What a transformation so far! This incredible time-lapse shows the great progress we've made on-site at Milburngate, as Tolent crack on with building the North East's finest place to live, work and relax.

'Milburngate Talks' Lumiere

As proud sponsors of Lumiere 2019, our latest 'Milburngate Talks' interview features festival director Helen Marriage, who sets the scene for what people can expect at this year's magical festival of light in Durham.

Lord Lieutenant Visits Milburngate

Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of County Durham, Sue Snowdon was welcomed to Milburngate to view progress on-site at the city’s brand new office, residential, retail and leisure development.

Mrs Snowdon was given a tour of the 6-acre site, meeting with the construction team from contractor Tolent, which is delivering phase one of the development.

Sue Snowdon, Lord Lieutenant for County Durham, said: “This was my second visit to the Milburngate site, and it was impressive to see how the plans are starting to take shape, even in this first stage of construction. Durham is undergoing a number of key developments across the city and Milburngate is going to significantly boost the city’s economy in attracting businesses and visitors to the county.”

Allan Cook, Managing Director of Arlington Real Estate, said: “We were honoured to have Mrs Snowdon visit the Milburngate site whilst it is undergoing its first stage of major construction. It will be a milestone in the regeneration of Durham’s riverside and have a positive impact on the economic and social prosperity of the city and the wider region.”

'Milburngate Talks' Retail & Leisure

Hear more from our very own Neil McMillan about why Milburngate is set to become Durham’s most exclusive retail and leisure destination, where units are available to let from 1,100 - 9,000 sq ft.

Construction Underway At Milburngate

Recently appointed contractor Tolent has embarked on the construction of Milburngate in Durham City following an extensive two-year demolition and site remediation programme at the six-acre site.

The start of construction was marked by the breaking of ground by two local school children, Halle Robson, age five, and Alexandra Chilton, age eight, from St Margaret’s C of E Primary School in the city, alongside the developers, contractors and Durham County Council.

Phase one of Milburngate involves the construction of 70 percent of the entire Milburngate development, which will include a number of nationally recognised leisure operators including boutique cinema company Everyman, restaurant brands Bar + Block and Miller and Carter, as well as a 92-bed flagship Premier Inn hotel.

Alongside its premium leisure facilities, Milburngate will also incorporate 5,000 square metres of speculatively built Grade A offices, creating capacity for more than 400 new jobs, and 153 built-to-rent apartments.

As part of the construction, Tolent will also deliver a new frontage onto the riverside and attractive public realm spaces with impressive views of the historic city.

Milburngate is being delivered in joint venture by Durham-based property business Arlington Real Estate and the Richardson family, who together have already successfully delivered a number of strategically important regeneration projects across the region, including Freemans Reach in Durham City centre.

The development is supported by a £120m forward-funding commitment from LaSalle Investment Management, which is the first phase.

Allan Cook, Managing Director of Arlington Real Estate, said: “This is a major milestone in the regeneration of Durham’s riverside and future economic and social prosperity of the city. We are very proud to have broken ground at Milburngate and embark on a build programme that will create a regionally significant location that will attract people to Durham City, while creating and retaining important jobs.”

Ben Holmes, Director on behalf of the Richardson family, said: “Milburngate is a game-changer for Durham and will be an important asset for the city and the wider North East for generations to come. Durham City is a very unique location, with immense historical significance, but with a tremendous forward-thinking attitude and we are delighted to support the area with the development of Milburngate.

Cllr Simon Henig, Leader of Durham County Council, said: "We are committed to ensuring Durham is a great place to live, work and visit, with a thriving economy, good job opportunities and plenty of places for residents and visitors to relax and enjoy themselves.

“Milburngate is one of a number of key developments across the city, which includes the recently opened Riverwalk development, Durham University’s £1bn investment plans and the planned re-development of the Aykley Heads site, which will significantly boost the city and wider county’s economy.

“It is important we do everything we can to attract new investors to the county. There is so much to celebrate in Durham right now, and we are seeing significant investment right across the county, including a £75m development at Jade Enterprise Park in East Durham, our recent £271m expansion of NETPark in Sedgefield, a £115m development at Integra 61 at Bowburn and our £153m expansion of Aycliffe Business Park, home to the Hitachi rail facility.”

Andy Mcleod, CEO of Tolent, said: “The construction team are now on site and we are delighted to be starting this fantastic project. A project of this size and significance comes with a responsibility to deliver the highest quality of construction outputs but it also comes with a responsibility to support and work with the local community and ensure we leave a lasting legacy that everyone is proud of and one that hopefully inspires future generations.”

Julian Agnew, CIO for the UK at LaSalle, said: “We are delighted to be working closely with Arlington Real Estate and the Richardson family to deliver this project and believe it will make a considerable and positive long-term contribution to the local economy and community. This is an excellent example of where the capital from our pensions fund clients can be well-deployed for a positive impact to kickstart regeneration schemes.”

'Milburngate Talks' with Liam Halligan

Respected economist and journalist Liam Halligan previewed his upcoming book, ‘Home Truths’ to a group of business leaders at a special ‘Milburngate Talks’ event.

Held at CoHo at Freemans Reach, opposite Milburngate, the event focused on the UK housing industry and the challenges facing the sector as well as the opportunities to boost home building.

Combining analysis with reportage, ‘Home Truths’ draws on extensive interviews with cabinet ministers, civil servants, planning officials and leading property industry specialists.  It will also contain some eye-catching policy proposals for regional and national government to boost housing development in the UK.

Liam, who writes a weekly column in the Sunday Telegraph and publishes his book in the autumn, talked about the role of Small and Medium-Sized house builders and developers have to play in delivering new homes and how government can better support an upturn in the creation of new properties.

He also praised the Milburngate development, highlighting the importance of city centre living in the housing mix, and the positivity that he experiences when he visits the North East.

You can find out more about Liam Halligan here: https://liamhalligan.com/

Milburngate Walks With Everyman

Members of the Milburngate development team have put their best foot forward to join staff from the Everyman Cinema Group on a nationwide charity effort.

The cinema employees formed several teams to collectively walk and cycle an 800-mile route linking up the Group’s entire network of venues, from Bristol in the south to Glasgow in the north.

This leg involved a team walking from the future site of Durham’s first boutique cinema, situated on the Milburngate development, to the Everyman cinema in the heart of Newcastle.

They were joined by Neil McMillan, Managing Director of iMpeC, together with other members of the development team, which is delivering the mixed residential and commercial development.

The nationwide trek aims to raise more than £20,000 in aid of MediCinema, which is dedicated to improving the welfare of hospital patients and their families through the shared experience of cinema.  

Work is due to begin later this year on the construction of the Milburngate cinema, which will feature stylish seating, a fully licenced bar, food, table service, digital projection and surround sound technology.

Everyman CEO Crispin Lilly, who also took part in the walk, said: “This particular section of our charity event is slightly more unusual in that we are visiting the site of one of our future cinemas. However, once it opens its doors, I’m confident that it will quickly become a popular leisure destination for people in the Durham area.

“We felt it important to include it on our charity route as a way of welcoming the city to Everyman’s national network of cinemas.

“I’m incredibly proud of all those people taking part in this tremendous effort, which is raising money for an incredibly worthy cause.”

Neil McMillan said: “It’s fantastic to see the Everyman staff here today visiting the site of their future cinema and both I and the development team are pleased to support this charity effort.”

 “The Everyman cinema will, together with a range of retail, high-quality restaurants and bars, shortly become a reality and create a highly desirable riverside destination contributing towards the regeneration of this area of the city.”

Should you wish to sponsor the walk, donations to the charity can still be made via the following link:

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/everysmile2019.

Tolent Announced As Milburngate Contractor

The Arlington Richardson Development Partnership has selected Tolent as its contractor for the construction of Phase One of Milburngate in Durham city centre.

The North East-based national contractor will begin construction in the coming weeks following the completion of the final site enabling works, which have been ongoing since January.

The contract includes the construction of 70 percent of the entire Milburngate development, which makes up Phase One of the project on the six-acre riverside site.

This announcement follows the project securing a £120 million forward-funding commitment from LaSalle Investment Management, which is enabling the delivery of the first phase.

Within Phase One will be premises for a number of nationally-recognised leisure operators including boutique cinema company Everyman, restaurant brands Marston’s Pitcher & Piano, Bar + Block, Miller and Carter and a 92-bed flagship Premier Inn hotel.

Tolent will also build 5,000 square metres of speculative offices, creating capacity for more than 400 new jobs, as well as 153 built-to-rent apartments.

This major regeneration scheme in the heart of Durham City is the latest regionally-significant project Tolent has been involved with. Its resumé includes Newcastle City Library, Sunderland’s Beacon of Light and the UK headquarters of global financial services technology company Sage in Gosforth, near Newcastle.

The business has a strong track record in the North East and, having secured more than £120 million of work in the region in the last 12 months, it is ranked in the top five of contractors in the area.

Tolent is currently on-site at two other major developments in the North East, Hadrian’s Tower, soon to be Newcastle’s tallest building, and the extensive Vaux development in Sunderland.

Milburngate is being delivered in joint venture by Durham-based property business Arlington Real Estate and the Richardson family, who together have already successfully delivered a number of strategically-important regeneration projects across the region, including Freemans Reach in Durham City centre.

Ian Beaumont, Project Director for Milburngate, said: “Tolent shares our enthusiasm for Durham City and our commitment to delivering a regionally-significant development.

“We undertook a very detailed and comprehensive selection process to ensure we have a contractor that is able to transform this unique riverside location into the vision we have for Milburngate. We are very pleased to have chosen Tolent and look forward to working closely with them as they begin construction in the next few weeks.”

Andy McLeod, CEO for Tolent, said: “This project is one of the most significant wins in the history of our business, and is testament to the skills, expertise and growth of our team not only in the region, but across the UK.

“It’s always a privilege to be involved in such transformational projects, and the vision for Milburngate is one we’re committed to delivering for our client, and for the community within Durham City.”

‘Home Truths’ - An Evening With Liam Halligan

Milburngate is delighted to invite you to join us on the 25th June for an evening with renowned author, journalist and broadcaster Liam Halligan where he will be offering his unique insight into housing and the UK economy.

The event is an opportunity for you to enjoy an exclusive preview of Liam’s forthcoming book ‘Home Truths’ where he will talk more about the UK housing sector, its challenges and innovative, diverse ideas to improve the country’s housing stock.

With extensive business experience, Liam is best-known for his weekly Economics Agenda Column in the Sunday Telegraph, which enjoys a large international audience. He is also a presenter and commentator on television with regular appearances on the BBC and CNN.

Light refreshments will be served throughout the evening, during which you’ll have the chance to meet Liam, as well as networking with a range of business leaders and opinion formers who will be attending this special event.

Places at this free event are strictly limited, so to confirm your attendance, please book your place here:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/home-truths-your-invitation-to-an-evening-with-liam-halligan-tickets-62045099563

Date: 25 June

Time: 5pm-7pm

Location: CoHo, Durham, DH1 1SW

Milburngate Offices Wired Certified Gold

Plans to futureproof the first phase of our phase one office development at Milburngate, by ensuring it provides the highest level of digital infrastructure, have been endorsed by an international technology standard, which tracks the quality of broadband and telecoms infrastructure in major commercial property developments.

The soon-to-be-built speculative office building at the heart of the historic city of Durham has become Wired Certified Gold by New York-based WiredScore.

As a Wired Certified Gold project, the 5,000 square metre Milburngate office building’s design and construction will support ‘best in class’ internet infrastructure and superior internet connectivity with a high-level of resilience.

WiredScore, which was founded in 2013 in the United States, was launched to improve New York’s technology infrastructure and support entrepreneurial businesses that were driving technological advances and creating jobs.

Two years later WiredScore established itself in the UK, becoming the official Mayor of London Digital Connectivity Rating Scheme. Since then WiredScore has expanded, not only across the UK outside of London, but into other areas of Europe including France, Ireland and Germany.

The Milburngate office building, which will create capacity for more than 400 new jobs in Durham City, is part of the Phase One development of the riverside location that will also include a mix of nationally recognised, premium leisure operators and 153 built-to-rent, high-quality apartments.

Milburngate is being delivered in joint venture by the Arlington Richardson Development Partnership, which secured the £120 million forward-funding commitment from LaSalle Investment Management for the construction of the first phase that begins later in the spring.

Allan Cook, Managing Director of Durham-based Arlington Real Estate, part of the Arlington Richardson Development Partnership, said: “Milburngate is part of the long-term economic prosperity of Durham City and this certification highlights our ambition to attract high-calibre office tenants that can create employment and thrive in the city.”

Ben Holmes, on behalf of the Richardson family, said: “High-quality internet is one of the main factors for tenants considering office space requirements along with location. Milburngate’s position at the heart of the historic city of Durham speaks for itself and now, with this certification, prospective tenants have the connectivity information they need when making their office decisions.”

William Newton, President, WiredScore, said: “This is a tremendous achievement and we commend the developers’ commitment to keeping the building at the cutting edge of technology. Achieving Wired Certified Gold demonstrates their dedication to meeting and exceeding their future tenants’ connectivity requirements to the highest calibre of technological superiority.”

You can find out more about Wired Certification here https://wiredscore.com/en/ .

Milburngate meets Westminster

Durham is a great place to live, work and invest. That’s the message the county’s leaders took right to the heart of government recently, where influential figures from the county, including our very own Allan Cook, demonstrated their passion for the area during a reception at the Houses of Parliament.

Hosted by Phil Wilson, MP for Sedgefield, and organised by Durham County Council, the event aimed to showcase all that the county has to offer, particularly for businesses and potential investors.

Invited guests, who included financiers, investors, property developers, MPs, members of the House of Lords, Government ministers and civil servants, also heard about the county’s Powered by People initiative and #Durham19 Year of Culture.

Those in attendance included Greg Clark MP, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Northern Powerhouse minister Jake Berry MP and a wide variety of representatives from outside the county.

Cllr Simon Henig, Leader of Durham County Council, said: “Durham really is a fantastic place for so many reasons. For those looking to bring their business here we have some great locations supported by excellent infrastructure and a wide range of thriving businesses just waiting to work alongside you. Our quality of life is also hard to beat, with stunning coast and countryside, world-class culture and warm and welcoming people.

“But if we do want people to invest in our area and support our ambition for the growth of the county, we need to make sure they know exactly what it is that we can offer them. The event at Westminster gave not just us but many of the organisations who are already enjoying success here in Durham the chance to really shout about all that’s great about the area.”

Mr Wilson said: “It was a privilege to host Durham County Council in Westminster. Durham is a great place to live and work with some great businesses. I would strongly recommend businesses locate in Durham because they always receive a great service from the county council and are made very welcome by the people who live there.”

Guests heard presentations by speakers including Cllr Henig; Terry Collins, Chief Executive of Durham County Council; Anne-Isabelle Daulon, CEO of Eleven Arches, the company responsible for Kynren; Brian Archer, managing director of Business Durham; and Arlington Managing Director Allan Cook.

A labour of love

With construction commencing in the coming months, Milburngate is set to be a transformational project for Durham City; one that’s been a labour of love of mine for many years. But what is it about Durham City and Milburngate that captured our imagination?

When you look at some of the fantastic regeneration schemes that have been delivered over the years, including here in the North East, it’s impossible not to get excited about the places we can create if we collaborate and put our minds to it.

In Milburngate we saw an opportunity to create something from nothing, an opportunity of scale that could transform a significant part of Durham, deliver economic growth, create new jobs and become a reason for people to visit the city to spend time and money. We firmly believed if we got these social value enhancements right, then financial value uplift would follow. This was the opportunity we saw in Milburngate.

A Collaborative Approach

The opportunity we saw in Milburngate also resonated with the relatively newly-formed County Council. They had a clear strategy that the city needed to evolve if they were to deliver meaningful economic growth for the people of County Durham. They had a very positive, can-do attitude, and the fact there was alignment between senior officers and senior politicians was an important factor in our decision to invest.

The council acknowledged that the city had seen very little development for decades, but like us they were confident it was a city that had significant potential, which if executed correctly would help drive economic growth and also benefit the wider county and region. It was clear with our shared objectives and aligned vision that a collaborative approach to delivery was the right way forward.

Building On Asset Strength

Durham has got some truly stand out assets: A world-class university, the River Wear - that strangely most existing buildings turn their back on – and, of course, a UNESCO world heritage site.

Furthermore, it is the most accessible city in the North East; positioned in the heart of our region with an east coast main line station and a highway network that offers easy access to and from Tyneside, Teesside and Wearside.

These assets and infrastructure provide an invaluable bedrock for us to build upon as we worked towards developing our plans for Milburngate.

The Precursor To Milburngate

In many respects, the first phase of Milburngate was really Freemans Reach, which gave us the opportunity to make a mark in Durham. Completed in 2015, Freemans Reach was a joint venture between Carillion, Arlington and Richardson Family and the building is now home to NS&I and the Passport Office, both of whom took their space on a pre-let basis, proving there was a strong appetite for high-quality modern office space in the city.

Because of this success at Freemans Reach, it gave the three joint venture partners the confidence to progress our longer-term vision for the riverside’s regeneration by acquiring Milburngate House. Early on, it was clear the scale of the site provided the perfect place for a phased mixed-use scheme, with a variety of uses that complement each other and enhance the existing city offer. Doing so successfully would encourage more people to work, visit and live in Durham, an ambition that aligned with the County Council’s objectives.

Raising The Bar

To ensure our vision for Milburngate was right from the outset, we spent significant time visiting exemplar mixed-use property developments across the UK and Europe. Understanding the stories and best practice that sat behind some of the largest regeneration projects proved invaluable. Unsurprisingly, London set an incredibly high standard, with Argent’s vast redevelopment at Kings Cross being a great example.

Seeing the quality and detail that had gone into developments like this, and the value enhancement that followed, cemented our view that the quality of the finished product at Milburngate really had to raise the bar for both the city and the wider region.

It also confirmed our view that, due to its 6-acre footprint, Milburngate should be outward facing to ensure it integrated with the wider city context. We recognised that by creating new city squares, we could provide places people wanted to visit and dwell within, as well as developing new footpaths and networks through the city to and from the station. Doing so would not only add value to our scheme, but also the wider city.

Core to our masterplan were these key principles of pedestrian connectivity and public spaces, around which the building architecture would be created. And whilst, as with any development of this scale, elements of the masterplan have evolved over time, we have remained absolutely true to these core principles throughout.

Balancing Opportunity And Risk

But taking this vision and turning it into reality isn’t without significant risks, all of which need careful management and consideration at every stage of the development process. Asbestos, 20 metre high retaining walls, archaeology, flooding, the site’s history as a gas works and, of course, its world heritage location all throw up many challenges for the team. Some of these you can plan for well in advance, others can completely blind side you; the sad demise of Carillion being one of them.

Perhaps one of the biggest risks with a development of this scale, however, is judging the wider economic and political landscape. Indeed, it’s likely a project like Milburngate, from conception to completion, will go through a least one market cycle, meaning we must monitor those conditions carefully to ensure we’re futureproofing the success of the scheme for both ourselves and the city.

Despite the risks, the opportunities that exist at Milburngate far outweigh the potential downsides, which is why we’re confident in our ability to deliver. This is bolstered by the fact we’ve got a team that’s made up of the very best people from across the region; many of whom helped us deliver Freemans Reach, and all of whom have bought into and adopted the vision we’ve stayed true to since day one.

Bringing Our Vision To Life

As I pen this, I’m pleased to say that with significant funding in place with La Salle, we are now in the process of finalising the contractor procurement. This means that work on-site to begin building phase one of Milburngate will commence soon.

Very quickly you’ll see this quarter of the city being transformed, as construction of a Premier Inn hotel, 153 build to rent apartments, an Everyman Cinema, 10 restaurants and bars and 53,000 sq ft of speculative office space begin to take shape. And whilst we’ve still got a long way to go, this marks a very important stage in the development, one that’s hugely rewarding for everyone involved.

Personally, I’m incredibly excited and proud to be involved and look forward to Milburngate playing its part in, what I believe is, a very bright future for Durham and the region.

Neil McMillan, Managing Director, iMpeC Developments – Development Managers for Milburngate

Supporting local undergraduates

Milburngate developer Allan Cook, from Arlington Real Estate, has contributed to an academic research paper, which focuses on the opportunities and challenges to delivering prime office developments in the North East, including Durham City.

Allan, who is part of the Arlington Richardson Development Partnership, was interviewed by Northumbria University student, Sami Ali, for her research, which will be submitted as her Real Estate Undergraduate dissertation for her BSc Hons degree from Northumbria University.

Sami, who is in the final year of her degree, is preparing her dissertation on the complexities of prime office development in secondary locations.

Sami said: “During my first and second year studies, we always looked at prime markets and didn’t focus on secondary locations outside of Newcastle; like Durham, Darlington and Sunderland, these are the only places that have stock coming onto the market.

“The idea for my dissertation was inspired by my time on placement at the former Vaux brewery site in Sunderland, last year, and getting an understanding of the process involved behind the scenes. I had a real interest in how an office market could develop in Sunderland.”

In 2018, towards the end of her work placement, with a real estate agent and developer at the Vaux Site, and after consultation with her supervisor, Sami decided to look at other sites that were going through a similar regeneration process to Sunderland and selected Milburngate and Feethams House development in Darlington.

Sami added: “What is happening in the North East is very positive, despite everything that is going on politically. Milburngate, and the other sites in my dissertation, have great potential. People may not realise how much is here, they may have turned a blind eye to it. But they need to open their eyes and come and see what is happening.”

Sami grew up and went to school in Sunderland, where she still lives with her parents.

Sami said: “I made a choice to study Real Estate after my ‘A’ levels, to lead towards a career in surveying because every day is different it’s not your typical 9-5 desk job; I am excited to make a difference and meet new people.” 

On completion of her studies, Sami wants to become a chartered surveyor and to continue to be a part of the regeneration and revival of the North East.

Sami concluded: “The North East is showing some real vibrancy with developments like Milburngate, Vaux and Feethams House, which is encouraging for the region’s future. Milburngate will transform the local office market in Durham and offer something new, which the city hasn’t been able to offer in recent years.”

Talking transformation

Durham has been undergoing a transformation in recent years. Andy Richardson asks developer Allan Cook what the new Milburngate site will bring to the city.

A WISE old Northern Echo reporter used to say that Durham City was “like a big pit village with a posh church in the middle.”

Mind you, he was from over Consett way where the legacies of coal and clergy still linger. Hoy a lump of coal on Derwentside and you’re at risk of knocking out a stained-glass window pane or two.

Nevertheless, his point was spot on. Durham is a strange hybrid of a place. Plonked in the middle of cobbled streets, red brick rows, pubs, and a hit-and miss array of shops is one of Europe’s architectural wonders.

Few would argue that the city has been blighted by some pretty woeful building developments in the thousand or so years since William de St-Calais oversaw the Cathedral’s construction.

The functional but unlovely County Hall and North Road Bus Station are set to be bulldozed in the coming years. Neither will be much mourned.

The brutalist Student Union building Dunelm House has a clutch of aficionados, but its pugnacious presence has always divided opinion. Two years after its opening in the mid-1960s it had already been dubbed as ‘the city’s ugliest building’ and swooned over by Sir Nikolaus Pevsner, the noted architecture historian.

The old passport office and original Milburngate Shopping Centre lasted a few decades, swept away as part of the ongoing developments taking place along the banks of the Wear.

Scan Durham’s famous skyline today and one of the first things you notice are massive industrial cranes - a sign of progress that invariably thrills developers but jangles the nerves of locals who’ve grown wary of the city’s ‘next big thing.’

Nothing will ever have the lasting appeal of the Castle and Cathedral World Heritage Site but can the latest riverside project finally gives Durham a facelift that enhances its charm rather than another ill-judged jab of Botox?

On the day Business Echo visits Durham the wind almost takes the Milburngate site office door off its hinges. Inside is the imposing figure of Allan Cook, managing director of Arlington Real Estate. Allan’s firm is transforming land on the north bank of the river in partnership with Richardsons. The site is opposite the Freeman’s Reach development, which Arlington and Richardsons have built to widespread acclaim, and the unlovely Walkergate complex of bars and restaurants, which they had no hand in.

Allan has the bearing of man with a few decades of success under his belt but he never sounds arrogant or complacent. He admits to feeling a weight of responsibility that this £150m development, consisting a 92-bed hotel, bars, cinema, eateries and apartments, must deliver something of lasting value to the community and the wider region.

He understands the history of this place and also of its huge potential. He talks about it as “the project of a lifetime.” That’s not a throwaway line. The company is used to handling bigger projects than Milburngate in terms of scale, but not, in Allan’s opinion, of importance.

Under his leadership Arlington has been responsible for the 90-acre DurhamGate development at Spennymoor, transforming the old Black & Decker site into a development which will eventually include more than 620 homes.

By contrast, Milburngate occupies only six acres.

“But that is about a quarter of Durham city centre so in terms of impact this is huge,” says Allan, adding: “I’ve always loved this city. I used to cycle here when I was a lad. I still go for evenings out here once or twice a week. It is a special place.

“The people of Durham are an educated bunch. They are well organised and knowledgeable. Developers need to treat them with the respect they deserve.”

Allan went to university in the 1980s. Students nowadays look enviously at that decade when full grants and no tuition fees meant many undergraduates could spend their downtime Inter Railing through Europe or joining Ban the Bomb demos. That might have been the case for some, but Allan Cook’s father saw things differently. Allan comes from Hartlepool.

“At end of my first year studying a degree in Economics at Manchester I came home to Hartlepool for the summer holidays and my dad said: “you’re not going to be sitting around here for eight weeks, you’re going to get a job,” recalls Allan.

“There was a guy dad used to go to the pub with who was a manager for a small door-to-door insurance company. One of his guys had had a heart attack so they said I could take his round. I’d literally had one day off from university and was on the streets collecting money. After that first day I went and bought myself a decent pair of shoes because it was a bloody long walk.

“I did that for about six weeks but the guy who’d had the heart attack didn’t come back. It got to the point when I was due to go back to uni and they said: ‘any chance you could stay on?’ I didn’t really fancy it. It was nice to make money but I didn’t want to walk around the streets of Hartlepool all my life.”

The prospect of a full-time contract persuaded Allan to defer his second year of studies.

“The plan was work for six months and go travelling for the rest of the year. But one thing led to another and I never went back to Manchester.

“I ended up taking on this guy’s agency.

I was just a kid running the place, managing blokes in their forties. I could add up so the job was easy for me but the best bit was that you got to meet people. There were some real characters on the estates. You’d go to council houses in Hartlepool and they’d have knocked down the internal walls. There’d be a horse in the kitchen, a car in bits on the floor but.. lovely, lovely people.

“Once I was out on a round at Christmas time. It was Friday so I had a load of money, probably £1,000 or more, in my leather bag. This woman always used to invite me in for a cup of tea and it was freezing so I couldn’t wait to go in. Somehow before I went inside I’d taken off my cash bag and left it on a wall. When I realised what I’d done and rushed outside the bag was gone.

“Within an hour I had it back. There’s not many places where that would happen. These people barely had two pennies to rub together but the bag was returned with all the money intact. These were good, honest people.”

Allan gradually worked his way up in the insurance business. By 1989 he started his own business in Hartlepool and was the go-to man for financial and tax advice to small businesses across County Durham and Tees Valley.

One of his clients was budding property magnate Chris Musgrave, later to become one of the region’s leading property magnates - the Wynyard Park development being his most high-profile venture.

Once Alan began to concentrate on property himself he never looked back.

“We are very proud of what we have achieved at DurhamGate,” he says. “It’s now got a real community feel. But Milburngate is another thing entirely. Being just across from the World Heritage site means you approach things with a heightened sense of respect. We are creating a whole new quarter for the city and trying to bring some new things into play.”

He talks excitedly about the “quality” tenants coming to Milburngate - Everyman’s arthouse cinema, a high-spec Premier Inn hotel, a Miller & Carter restaurant as well as spaces for local artisan food outlets. The idea is that this will be a destination for visitors. You can easily see it becoming a first, and perhaps only, port of call for people pouring down the hill from the railway station. Allan is determined to ensure his swanky new site works with the rest of the city rather than sits in splendid isolation.

“When you take a stroll around Durham you soon find that there are a lot of dead ends. We want to help knit things together.”

A new footbridge linking Milburngate with Walkergate is “very much an aspiration”. He’d also like to see Walkergate mirror some of the quality touches that his development promises to deliver.

In theory, this is the kind of joined-up thinking the city has been crying out for. It remains to be seen if Allan’s vision to open up Durham’s riverside and link the city like never before works out.

Now that the site clearance is complete the skeletons of the new buildings will start to rise out of the soil in the next few months. The first units are scheduled to open around spring 2021.

Allan adds: “We wanted to anchor it with some well-known brands but also get high quality independents in here. We don’t want this to look like everywhere else. People don’t come to Durham just to see chain brands. They want it to be a different. This will be different.”

Milburngate secures £120m funding

The developers of Milburngate have secured a £120 million forward-funding commitment from LaSalle Investment Management, which will enable the delivery of the first phase of the Durham City Centre project.

In December 2018, detailed planning permission was granted for Phase One, which covers 70 percent of the entire six-acre mixed-use development. The developers are in the final stages of reviewing shortlisted construction tenders and will select their construction partner in the coming weeks. Completion of the first phase is targeted for early 2021.

Tenants already secured for Phase One include nationally-recognised leisure operators including boutique cinema company Everyman, restaurant brands Bar + Block, Miller and Carter and a 92-bed flagship Premier Inn hotel.

Also included in Phase One will be 5,000 square metres speculative office building, creating capacity for more than 400 new jobs, alongside 153 built-to-rent apartments, supporting Durham’s requirement to provide high-quality city centre work and living space.

Milburngate is being delivered in joint venture by Durham-based property business Arlington Real Estate and the Richardson family, who together have already successfully delivered a number of strategically-important regeneration projects across the region, including Freemans Reach in Durham City centre.

Ben Holmes, on behalf of the Richardson family, said: “This is one of the biggest investment deals in the North East of England in the last ten years. It will have a significant positive impact on Durham City and the wider region and demonstrates investor appetite for this type of project.

“Securing this funding from LaSalle, which will ensure the delivery of the first phase of this ambitious project, also demonstrates the confidence this respected financial institution has in the North East and the benefits of regenerating this unique part of this historic city.”

Allan Cook, Managing Director of Arlington Real Estate, said: “We are really pleased to have secured the funding for Phase One with LaSalle, which enables us to now move forward with the first construction phase. It is a testament to both the vision of the team and quality of the scheme that we have secured LaSalle as our funding partner and I’m sure delivery of Phase One will set a new benchmark not only for Durham City, but also the region.”

Robin James, Head of Long Income Transactions at LaSalle Investment Management, said: “We are delighted to have entered into this long-term partnership with Arlington Real Estate and the Richardson family. This mixed-use commercial and residential development will create job opportunities in Durham and is an excellent example of where our client’s capital can be used to deliver major city centre regeneration schemes. We will continue to invest in such projects and have significant funds to deploy in other assets offering long-term, inflation-linked income streams.”

Durham's grand designs

Durham is changing and Allan Cook, managing director of Arlington Real Estate, is the man with the new blueprint. He met Mike Hughes on the site of Milburngate to talk more about the future of the city.

So, how do you build a future for a city with a globally-recognised heritage built into every twisting cobbled street, all crowned with a first-choice university and a breathtaking castle and cathedral?

The answer is “very respectfully”, framing the views rather than spoiling them, and adding the things that even one of the world’s most admired cities is missing.

The job of overseeing the next era of change at Durham belongs to Allan Cook, MD of Arlington Real Estate, which is delivering Milburngate – a £150m mix of commercial and residential buildings.

The Arlington Richardson Development Partnership has already made its mark on the county with Freemans Reach just across the river from the new site, and Arlington is also responsible for DurhamGate at Spennymoor – 90 acres of prime regeneration including homes for more than 350 families.

As an 11-year-old kid, Hartlepool-born Allan would cycle up and down Durham’s streets on his racing bike, never dreaming that one day he would be building new streets to take a new generation of children to new places. It has been a long journey to get to the point where, as you read this, Milburngate is starting to be built.

“Although we already had planning consent in place for the project, you have to remember that this isn’t just a single building – we are creating a whole new quarter for the city so things have been moving around as the different elements have come together,” said Allan in a very smart temporary office in a corner of the site bustling with cranes, earth movers and trucks.

“But from the very start we knew exactly what we wanted the masterplan to be and that included making the most of the waterfront as a priority but also, with a position right next to the East Coast main line, we wanted to open up the city to visitors getting off the trains by having a new pedestrian access to take you down to Framwellgate Peth and then pop you out under the railway arches and on to a wide staircase to a series of public squares.”

The vision is remarkable, and has been enough to lead a series of high-profile tenants to sign up. A 92-bed heritage brand Premier Inn hotel will be in place alongside Everyman, which has chosen the scheme for its first boutique cinema commitment in the North East, as well as food and drink outlets Miller and Carter and Bar + Block.

And all these brands – and so many more to be announced – want to be part of this new quarter before a brick has been laid, which underlines the faith big names have that developers such as Arlington will create something special. But it also speaks about the rarity of the opportunity to create a dramatic new landmark among so much that so many people treasure.

“The look and feel of the place are turning out to be just as I had hoped,” says Allan.

“When you get down that staircase you will get a great vista of St Nic’s church spire and then, when you land on the first public square, there is another new view looking across to the castle and the cathedral.”

“The thing that is underpinning everything that we are doing is the public realm, so having set that and how it links together, we are now securing it and designing the buildings within it. I knew how important that public realm was, but just as important is creating the right mix of uses, allowing people to enjoy it all day every day, because I have seen how places like Canary Wharf operate in London. Monday to Friday before 3pm it is like New York – but go in at 6.30 in the evening or at the weekend and there’s hardly anyone there.”

“We want to keep Milburngate enlivened, not only so that it feels good to be there, but also to create a safe environment and not somewhere you would rather not go at certain times of the day.”

Again, this is all about providing some of the few things the city lacked. That’s a small list, but perhaps an obvious one, with city centre living and Grade A office space getting the top spots. Student living is a big factor for a city that has a university that people will travel a great distance to attend, but it also means there are a great many places for them in the city, with the value of the properties soaring, which has made it challenging for normal housing to find a foothold, so Allan is going to build more than 150 high-spec apartments sharing some of the city’s best views.

The first phase of office space at Milburngate will release 53,000 sq ft over five floors, and will be ready for fitting out towards in early 2021. That’s earlier than planned, recognising the fast pace that the rest of County Durham is setting.

Word is getting out about what Allan and his partners are building here and people want to be a part of it as soon as possible as they make their own plans for new headquarters and regional bases in a place where quality eating, meeting and hotel space for their clients – and built-in essentials such as car parking – is all close at hand.

“There was never any point in us building something that fitted all the planning requirements but was not what enough of the market wanted. It had to do both and offer quality on every level, which is why it has been so pivotal to have such a good relationship with the council that means we can work with them to develop the masterplan as demands have changed and make sure nothing falls short of the standards the city expects.

“Having a World Heritage cathedral as your neighbour is a tough act to follow, so what we have to do is look at the grain of the city and try not to rub up too hard against that. Possibly one of the things that has understandably held back the town centre is that they are old and historic buildings, and some businesses just want to be able to potato-stamp themselves into a building, asking for open floor plans and large windows.

“Retail is really important, but it doesn’t drive the city in that it is clearly not the main reason people travel here – they want to experience the character of the city itself and we wanted to work with that and add to it where we could.”

He has already done that at the £38m Freemans Reach site across the river, which is now home to HM Passport Office and National Savings and Investments, with their combined near 1,000-strong workforces.

The fact that one of the squares at Freemans Reach has a bridge landing point built into it – but no bridge – is proof Allan saw the potential for linking the two sites and planned ahead without knowing whether it would be him or another developer who would get the opportunity.

The Durham Ice Rink which used to be on the site was much-loved but unviable, so there was plenty of local pressure from people, saying “this had better be good…”.

And it was, literally laying the foundations for how a city like Durham can progress and showing that every inch of the river has potential for renewal as the oxygen of change is pumped into it by developers such as Arlington.

Allan says: “Once you engage with people and explain what you are really about, they understand more and start to realise that you won’t be coming back and changing everything once they’ve agreed to it, and I’m proud to say that you can hold up the CGIs we did for Freemans Reach before we got planning and what they saw was what they got. “And I am just as hopeful that the images we have released of how we want Milburngate to look is what we will deliver for them. I love this city, but I think it has been quite constrained, certainly from the days when my mum and dad brought us here as kids.”

“But now the whole city feels on the cusp of something very special. There is a shared momentum behind it and I am particularly proud to be a part of that for the next four to five years as Milburngate helps Durham to grow.”

Allan is also chair of the Lumiere development board, keen to find yet another way of shining a light on the boundless potential of this great city.

This life-enhancing light show uses nighttime Durham as the canvas for around 150 artworks made by hundreds of artists and thousands of community participants. After a short break, organisers Artichoke are bringing the event back in both 2019 and 2021.

“When we first started talking about it with Artichoke back in 2008, we were targeting around 50,000-70,000 visitors, but the last one hit 240,000 so it has clearly had a big impact and now has an enormous reach,” said Allan.

“It is something else that changes people’s perception of what Durham is all about and is why the council’s new ‘Powered by People’ strapline really hits the mark for me. Nothing happens unless you have the right people making it happen who want to show that it is not just about the developments and the investments – it is a combination of all the elements that make Durham such a unique place. When you have that critical mass you start getting the feelgood that attracts more of the right people to continue the momentum.

“I have been banging the drum for Durham for years, and I honestly feel it is now coming together because the council has been brave enough to embrace and drive the need to change and reveal the real scale of the city.”

The fact that Arlington and its boss have such deep local roots gave Allan’s ambitious plans credibility from day one – this was a person who knew the area and was one of many for whom it meant a great deal. So there was a trust, a bond, which is about to be repaid above all our expectations over the next few years in ways none of us can yet fully imagine.

Find out more about the Powered By People campaign here.

The challenge and reward

As part of our Milburngate Talks series, we managed to catch up with our Project Director, Ian Beaumont, who gave us his very own take on the many challenges and rewards that come whilst working on a development like Milburngate.

Many of you passing Milburngate on a daily basis may be forgiven for thinking there's not much going on. But the extensive work that's currently being undertaken by our trusted team of skilled consultants and technicians, both on and away from site, is successfully paving the way for construction to take place later in the year.

And like many commercial property developments of this scale, this phase of the project comes complete with its own complexities, challenges and surprises, all of which combine to ensure there's never a dull day on-site.

So, what better way to learn more about it than hearing from one of those people directly responsible for bringing our 450,000 sq ft mixed-use scheme, on the banks of the River Wear, to life.

See your bright idea in lights!

As proud sponsors of Lumiere Durham, we're delighted to share the news the festival has announced that submissions for their BRILLIANT competition, which gives budding artists from the region the chance to see their work in lights as part of this year’s Lumiere festival, are now officially open.

No previous artistic experience is required and anyone aged 18 or over currently living in, or originally from, the North East can enter for the chance to have their work exhibited at the light festival, which is visited by hundreds of thousands of visitors.

All candidates need is a unique idea for an artwork that uses light in an effective, original or moving way. If successful, they will be supported by the festival’s expert production team from Artichoke to bring their idea to life.

Kate Harvey, senior producer at Artichoke said: “BRILLIANT is a fundamental part of our programming for Lumiere and allows us to transform Durham with the inspiring ideas of local people. Artichoke is committed to fostering homegrown creative talent that will have a lasting impact on the North East.

“This competition is an opportunity for the winners to make their brightest ideas a reality and see their work exhibited alongside the very best international artists working in the field of light. Since the competition launched in 2011 we have supported so many talented individuals in creating artworks for the festival. It’s been a joy to follow the winners after the festival, seeing how their careers have developed. We can’t wait see what amazing ideas the public will come up with this year.”

Participating in the BRILLIANT competition has been the opportunity of a lifetime for several past winners, who before taking part, had never practiced as an artist before. Past winners include Amy-Rose Welch, a New College Durham sixth form student whose artwork, Visual Illusion was based on a series of patterns found in and around Durham Cathedral.

Amy-Rose, one of the 2017 BRILLIANT winners, said, “Winning the competition was an unbelievable opportunity. I first visited Lumiere in 2009 and loved it so much I told my mother ‘I don’t know how or when, but I want to be a part of Lumiere.’

“For me BRILLIANT was an opportunity to be taken seriously as an artist and to have professionals listen to and believe in my ideas. It allowed me the creative freedom to fully realise my designs and take my art to the next level. Since Lumiere I’ve had a lot of interest in my work, including the Opportunity to exhibit at Staithes Light festival in September 2018.”

Lumiere 2019 will mark the ten years since the festival began, a milestone that will be celebrated with the return of some favourite installations from the past decade alongside new commissions. Lumiere, which takes place every two years, is commissioned by Durham County Council, with additional support from Arts Council England and a raft of sponsors, trusts and foundations.

Candidates are required to fill out an online form explaining their proposal by Tuesday, February 26 and will be notified if they have been shortlisted for stage two of the process by Friday, March 15. If shortlisted, candidates will be invited to work with Artichoke’s production team to develop their idea in greater detail, working out some of the initial technical and logistical concerns.

You can find out more about the BRILLIANT competition and fill in the application form here.

Powered by people

The power of the people that drive the productivity and appeal of a place like Durham shouldn’t be underestimated. That’s why Durham County Council has unveiled a brand-new campaign to promote the collective strengths the people of the county bring to the area.

The Powered by People campaign is aimed at giving businesses, developers and employers the chance to sell Durham as a place to work, with the intention of trying to increase investment and jobs across the county. So far, it's involved a number of County Durham’s key businesses, including Milburngate’s joint venture partner Arlington Real Estate, as well as Hitachi, Dyer Engineering and Waterstons.

Council leader councillor Simon Henig said: “Time and time again we’ve heard Durham is a great to do business but we needed something to get that across. This was an opportunity to bring people together and amplify the positivity we see across the county and create a clear message about what a fantastic place Durham is to do business.”

Terry Collins, chief executive of Durham County Council, said: “Despite the uncertainty of the national situation, there’s a lot of positivity about the future. We’re seeing numerous developments going forward and real investment in the county. This is the council’s biggest priority; the economy. We know from the approaches and interest we have had that people really want to come and do business with the county.”

Indeed, the county is bucking the national trend, attracting 40 multinational investors over the past three years, and over £3.4billion worth of planned investment.

Allan Cook, managing director of Arlington Real Estate, said: “I think our future is really bright. We need to get out there and bang the drum for Durham.”

The campaign will be advertised nationally, while businesses are also being urged to share the films online and on social media. The council, together with Durham University, will also host a regional business event at the Radisson Hotel, Durham, on January 31, when entrepreneurs will be invited to look at the role of the North-East in the UK economy.

You can find out more about the #PoweredByPeople campaign here.

2019, Durham’s time to shine!

Lumiere, the UK’s largest light festival, allows us to see Durham in a whole new light, illuminating its past and highlighting its creative future. The biennial festival transforms our historic city into an awe-inspiring nocturnal art trail and is set to be one of the highlights of Durham's 2019 events calendar, when it returns from November 14-17 for its tenth anniversary. 

Milburngate's joint venture partner, Arlington Real Estate, is a long-time supporter and sponsor of the festival, with our £150m development on the banks of the River Wear hosting a number of installations in previous years. Managing director Allan Cook says: “I was hooked on the concept of Lumiere within five minutes of hearing about it. Working with culture in the community in this way helped to put my business on the map while also giving something back to my home patch.”

Commissioned by Durham County Council, Lumiere is produced by leading arts charity Artichoke and is the brainchild of their visionary director Helen Marriage. “It’s an art event using all forms of light, from flame to modern video projection,” she says. “We commission the art for each individual space, offering a reflection of its social history.” Lumiere strives to leave a permanent mark on the North East through a series of permanent light installations, a year-round community engagement programme and the BRILLIANT commissioning scheme, which allows local people to turn their brightest ideas into artworks for the festival.

Artichoke works with artists to create large-scale arts events in public spaces, aimed at appealing to the widest audiences possible, challenging our perceptions and changing the way we think about our surroundings.achieve, for both the people it’s designed for, as well as the environment in which it sits. 

Milburngate is no exception, where our vision for a brand new destination in Durham’s glorious city centre is being brought to life by internationally renowned architects FaulknerBrowns.

With a need to respond to the working and lifestyle needs of today’s and future generations, Milburngate is being designed to the very highest standards, in a way that will complement and enhance its World Heritage setting on the banks of the River Wear.One such example is the Litre of Light, created by Sunderland builder-turned-artist Mick Stephenson.

Inspired by the stained glass Rose Window at Durham Cathedral, the installation has wowed visitors, and helped the festival to raise the county’s cultural capital and business profile in the process. “Light has a universal appeal,” says Stephenson. “I’ve been fascinated by light since I saw the sparkle of the family Christmas tree as a child.”

Final plans for the ten-year anniversary showcase are still under wraps, however, it’s known that it will intersperse much-loved installations from previous Lumiere festivals with new work. “I’m especially looking forward to seeing my ‘director’s cut’ from previous festivals,” says Marriage. The success of Lumiere underlines how business and culture have collaborated to raise the region’s profile on the international stage.

While using light to turn the city itself into a giant canvas is a modern concept, artists have long been inspired by Durham. The view across Millhouse weir towards Durham Cathedral moved both JMW Turner and Sir Walter Scott, the former capturing the light in watercolour, the latter turning to poetry.

More recently, the author Bill Bryson, a former chancellor of Durham University, famously described Durham Cathedral, the majestic centrepiece of the city’s Unesco World Heritage site, as “the best cathedral on planet Earth and one of the supreme achievements of the architectural world”. Today, this wealth of history is set in a proudly 21st-century context, with modern art installations subtly juxtaposed with heritage buildings.

You can find out more about Lumiere here.