A UNIVERSITY’S flagship plans for a £48m gateway development have been slammed by conservationists.

The City of Durham Trust said it was saddened by and highly critical of Durham University’s Gateway scheme, suggesting it could prove a "massive opportunity lost".

The university wants to build a new law school, student services centre, library extension and administrative headquarters housing 300 staff on its science site, on Durham’s Stockton Road.

But in a letter to Durham County Council, Douglas Pocock, honorary secretary of the City of Durham Trust, urges planners to persuade the university to modify the blueprint.

He says: "The alternative, we consider, will be a massive opportunity lost and that, far from producing a landmark building, the result will be one as unsuccessful as the university’s only other failure among a long series of impressive buildings, namely Elvet Riverside 1. All agree that the latter is a townscape disaster."

Dr Pocock is critical of the development’s proposed design, height and relationship to surrounding buildings.

His letter will boost opposition to the scheme, which has also angered nearby residents.

The university’s plans were criticised at a public meeting held last month and Durham City Labour MP Roberta Blackman-Woods pledged to hold a further debate specifically to discuss the Gateway project.

However, Michael Lavery, director of communications at Durham University, welcomed the City of Durham Trust’s support for the proposal to develop the site and said the university intended to contribute to Durham’s pedigree of excellent and distinctive architecture.

"Feedback on the current proposals from many people has been positive including compliments on the design from Durham residents.

"We look forward to the proposal being discussed as part of the democratic planning process."

Durham county councillors will debate the scheme in the months ahead.