COUNCILLORS have given the go-ahead to controversial plans to move two landmark statues.

Within the last few minutes, members of Durham County Council’s planning committee approved an application to move the famous statues of Lord Londonderry and Neptune in Durham City.

Durham City Vision wants to move the statues to a new location in the city’s Market Place as part of a £5m revamp, but the proposals produced a public outcry with 6,000 people signing a petition to keep the statues in place.

Councillors this afternoon voted 8-6 in favour of the application.

Speaking immediately after the decision, Coun Neil Foster, the council’s portfolio holder for Economic Regeneration said: “This decision is very important to the future prosperity of the city centre and supports the aims of the Regional Economic Strategy aimed at maximising our heritage and cultural offer.

“We do acknowledge the strength of public opposition to the proposal for Lord Londonderry to be moved and I know that this decision will be hard to accept by many.

“I would like to say however that we have had to focus on the long-term benefits of this major investment in the Market Place and Vennels and in a year or so I think that the majority of people will be happy with the final scheme.”