A team of three has been appointed to lead the regeneration of a city centre.

The team will start work next month matching potential developers with opportunities in Durham City - part of the 2020 Vision project.

The team will be led by regeneration manager Harvey Dowdy, who joins from regional development agency One NorthEast where she dealt with commercial property investment.

One of her first jobs will be to evaluate opportunities to increase the number of shops and employment opportunities on the edge of the city.

She said: "I am really excited to be leading the team in Durham that will now set about realising the big ambitions identified in the Durham 2020 Vision Masterplan on behalf of all our partners."

The rest of the team, which is to be based in the 2020 Vision offices, in Millennium Place, is project co-ordinator Paul Ryan and technical support officer Kathryn Watson, both of whom previously worked for Durham City Council.

John Holmes, director of Regeneration at One NorthEast and chairman of the Durham City Vision Partnership Board, said: "The appointment of the new regeneration team at Durham 2020Vision is a significant step forward for the long-term economic regeneration of Durham City centre.

"The Durham City 2020 Vision Masterplan reinforces Durham's importance as a major contributor to the North-East's economy and is a key component of the recently launched regional economic strategy - the appointment of this team is about delivering the development that ensures that the city maintains and grows that contribution."