THE multi-million pound development plans for one of the region’s universities will go on show to the public next week.

Durham University’s £48m Gateway development would include a new law school, student services centre, a library extension and a new headquarters for 300 staff. It would be built on the university’s science site, in Stockton Road, Durham City.

Staff, students and people living in Durham will get a chance to see the latest designs at a two-day public exhibition.

Visitors will be able to watch a 3D fly-through movie, take a closer look at a model of the development and view an exhibition of images from various stages of the design process.

The exhibition will also offer more information about the university’s outreach projects in education, environment, sport and charity.

Michael Lavery, Durham University’s director of communications, said: “This proposed development represents a significant potential investment in the city and its economy, so the open days provide the university with a great opportunity to share its latest ideas and plans with colleagues, students, friends and neighbours.

“In particular, we are keen to provide some useful context to the proposed Gateway development on our land facing on to Stockton Road, by outlining our wider vision for our estates development programme that will help to maintain our standing as a worldclass university.

“This event will provide some useful insight and information about the way the university interacts with the community and our commitment to making a positive contribution to life in the city and county.”

The project forms a major part of the university’s £60m Durham Project, which also includes upgrading Palace Green library and the refurbishment of the Mountjoy estate, behind the science site.

Last year, the university sold its grade II-listed headquarters in Old Shire Hall, and two neighbouring properties, in Old Elvet, to the region’s development agency, One North East, in a £4.24m deal.

The university expects to file a planning application for the Gateway project this summer and the development could be complete by summer 2012.

The exhibition will be in Sir James Knott Hall, in Trevelyan College, Elvet Hill Road, on Wednesday, between 3pm and 8pm and next Thursday, between 10am and 8pm, or visit durham.ac.uk/durham.

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