A SECOND chance to save a much-loved bingo hall ended in disappointment as councillors voted again to demolish it and build student flats.

The plan to knock down the Apollo bingo hall on Front Street, Durham and replace it with 128-bed student digs was voted through in January.

It was brought back to the Durham County Council planning committee with new information seemingly refuting the developer's figures.

Despite this - along with continued objections from Mary Foy MP, county councillors, a parish council, a city trust, a residents' association and opposition by the committee's chairman - the plan was passed again.

Durham Grove Ltd and Majestic Bingo’s scheme for the building, which opened in 1938 and has also operated as a cinema and boxing gym, was reconsidered at County Hall on Tuesday (March 8).

The developer had asserted there was a need to relocate 3,000 students in the city.

But Durham University since said this was wrong, and in fact it had more than 22,000 students - already over a 21,500 target for 2026-7.

It said the proposed three and four-storey accommodation would not be suitable for its own portfolio, though they had no objections in principle.

Read more: Live updates as fate of iconic bingo hall in County Durham to be decided

This time, the developer said students needed a "broader choice" including sought-after four and five-bedroom homes.

Objectors, who wrote 39 letters, said the plan would needlessly rob the area of a “much-loved building” and replace it with an “incongruous”, “monolithic” and “overly dominant” block which would disturb existing residents.

They argued the student numbers meant there was already enough accommodation in the city, so there was no need for the development and it would bring no benefit.

Mary Foy MP said: "No development is better than a poor and inappropriate development."

Five letters supporting the plan said the site was an eyesore which needed regeneration which would bring jobs and boost the local economy.

Councillor Patrick Conway from Belmont Parish Council said: "Local people say, OK, close the bingo hall if you must, but retain the site until the development that is needed comes along."

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Ward member Cllr Christine Fletcher said: "This planning application has been roundly rejected by the residents of Belmont division.

"They see this as a development simply for the sake of a development to make money. It is not needed. The design is not suitable for the area.

"The Majestic bingo hall is still open. People are still using it as a community space and it is still valued."

Richard Hornby from the Gilesgate Residents’ Association said: "There is by far enough to accommodate and leave choice for all students.

"It's simply not appropriate development."

Daniel Puttick, speaking for the applicant, said the development would make a "meaningful contribution" to tackling a large projected shortfall in student bed spaces.

He said the plan had been greatly reduced as a "significant compromise", it would bring regeneration benefits and the bingo hall was not well-used.

He said: "The business is simply no longer viable as a going concern and inevitably it will close."

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Planning officers found the plan acceptable, said it would not significantly harm residents, and recommended approval.

"The current owners have stated that the business is not viable," said senior planning officer Leigh Darby.

"The retention of the building is not justified."

Officers agreed with the developer that the plans would meet students' aspirations for more variety.

They said it was not for the university - described as a commercial landlord in direct competition with the developer - to agree with the plans or set standards.

Debating the plan, Cllr Carl Marshall said: "We need to have more choice. We need to create something of better quality that's more affordable.

"I think the direction of travel tells me that we're going to need more managed student accommodation built in the right place."

He, along with Cllrs Kevin Shaw and Charlie Kay said there were no planning grounds to reject the plan, with Cllr Kay saying: "It's a quite simple open and shut case."

Cllr Chris Hood said: "I was elected to listen to residents. I ask all members to reject it and listen to the people who live within the ward."

Committee chairman and deputy mayor Cllr David Freeman said he would vote against the plan.

He said: "All students in Durham have somewhere to live at the moment.

"The university figures clearly show that there is no unmet demand.

"We should not be approving applications when there is no demand for that accommodation."

Cllr Marshall said the chairman's actions were "absolutely unheard-of", referring to previous stated opposition to student accommodation development and university expansion.

Cllr Freeman replied: "The numbers are fact. That's not an opinion. There is no demand.

"Durham University have hit their expansion targets for 2027, five years ahead of schedule."

The plan was approved by a 9-6 vote.