DURHAM'S conservation areas will be under the spotlight in a review carried out by heritage chiefs.

The City of Durham Council's heritage and design section has begun a process to appraise the 14 conservation areas in the district.

The areas vary in size and character from Holywell Conservation Area, by Brancepeth, to the large Durham City Conservation Area, centred around the castle and cathedral World Heritage Site.

An appraisal will have been carried out for each of the areas by 2008.

The process has already started, however, and draft appraisals are already in place for Brancepeth, Sunderland Bridge and Bowburn.

A public consultation in Brancepeth and Sunderland Bridge saw an exhibition and Head of Heritage and Design, Michael Hurlow, in attendance.

An exhibition is to be held at Bowburn Community Centre from 4pm to 6pm on Wednesday and Thursday.

On Friday, a public meeting will take place in the community centre, starting at 6pm.