A REGENERATION group has begun building its first homes in Durham City – on a former council headquarters site.

The Byland Lodge site, previously home to the now-defunct Durham City Council, is being turned into 23 three-bedroom houses and six apartments by Durham Villages Regeneration Company (DVRC).

Prior to 2009’s local government reorganisation, DVRC involved Durham City Council and developers Keepmoat.

It now involves Keepmoat and Durham County Council.

Over 15 years, it has used more than £100m generated from the sale of council-owned land to build more than 1,000 homes in villages around the city.

Around £20m of the profits has then been spent on community projects, including Freeman’s Quay leisure centre, in Durham, and restoring Bowburn Park and Annand House, in Langley Moor.

The homes being built on the Byland Lodge site, on Hawthorn Terrace, Durham, are the first DVRC has built in Durham City itself.

The 19th century villa is being converted into five apartments, to be called Byland Court. Work began recently.

Twenty-three three-bedroom houses and one new apartment, to be called Byland Close, are also being built. Work is well advanced.

DVRC board members visited the site before their last quarterly meeting.

Councillor Neil Foster, Durham County Council’s cabinet member for regeneration and economic development and DVRC’s chair, and Richard Bass, Keepmoat New Build’s managing director in the North-East and DVRC board member, installed a date plaque at the front gate.

Coun Foster said: "This latest project at Byland Close is extremely impressive and I hope to see similarly exciting initiatives elsewhere in the near future."

Durham County Council is now looking to identify sites for development beyond Durham City.

The Byland Lodge development was controversial as the plans included no affordable housing. Durham City MP Roberta Blackman-Woods wanted a public inquiry.

However, the Government Office for the North-East declined to ‘call in’ the scheme in June 2008.

A show home on site is now open for viewing. A sales office, on Juniper Way, Durham, is open Thursday to Monday, 10am to 5pm. Call 0191-3868137.