DURHAM City Council and Durham University are joining forces to sell land they own in the heart of the city.

The city council is looking to dispose of the swimming baths site at the back of Old Elvet once the city's new pool is built on land at Durham Sixth Form College in Freeman Place.

The university is relocating some departments based in former houses in Old Elvet, which is a conservation area, and is currently moving administration staff out of Old Shire Hall to the Mountjoy Building, in South Road.

Old Shire Hall, which is considered to be too small for the university's administration needs, could be used by one or more departments.

The two organisations plan to jointly market land they own behind the River Wear side of Old Elvet, in the hope that selling it in one package will bring in more money than if it was sold separately.

The council's land is the site of the baths and a redundant bowling green and public toilets, while the university's holding is largely made up of a car park and small areas behind its departments.

Both would share the proceeds of the sale on a pro rata basis.

The council's cabinet has agreed in principle to the joint sale and is expected to consider plans for a development brief for the land and a marketing strategy in the autumn.

The preferred developer is likely to be selected in February and development of the Old Elvet land would start in September of next year, after the pool has been built and the old one closed.

The council's executive director, David Marrs, said that "major private sector interest'' in the site had been established and that putting the land in one package could, according to consultants, increase the money obtained by 20 to 25 per cent.

He said: "There are clear benefits to the partnership approach. The costs of mothballing or demolishing the baths will now be minimised and included in a larger project.''

He added that the redundant toilets and bowling green would be redeveloped, saving the council maintenance costs.

A university spokesman said: "In the longer term, we would like to relocate to other areas and it is within that context that this land is being discussed.

"There is some university land near the baths that is currently used for parking by staff, who are mostly in administration at Shire Hall.

"The university and the city council have agreed to form a joint venture enterprise to market and dispose of this area of land because, by doing it together, it makes a coherent piece of land for future development.

"It doesn't affect the frontage of Old Elvet at the moment. It is the land at the back, and most of the university part of it is car parking.''