Hotel at cricket ground unanimously approved
LDRSPlans for a new 152-bedroom four-star hotel overlooking Durham's cricket ground have been approved.
The new six-storey hotel will be built at Durham Cricket Club's Riverside ground in Chester-le-Street.
Plans submitted to Durham County Council show the development will include a bar and restaurant, meeting spaces, a small club shop and a permanent tiered seating terrace overlooking the cricket pitch.
Durham Cricket Club said the facility will be "an absolute game-changer" after the proposal was unanimously approved by the local authority.
Hotel operator Hilton has expressed an interest in running the development, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
Planning committee members said the hotel would boost the local tourism sector and encourage more visitors to stay overnight.
Tourism body Visit County Durham backed the proposal, saying it would help meet an identified need for additional overnight accommodation in the county.
The ground floor area will include car parking and a foyer, with restaurant facilities, a lobby, and guest bedroom on the remaining floors.
Plans for the new hotel have taken inspiration from similar hotel complexes at the Old Trafford in Manchester, and Rose Bowl in Hampshire.
A nine-tier seating terrace would be attached to the southern side of the building, providing views across the cricket ground for spectators.
The scheme is expected to generate millions of pounds for the cricket club, helping it remain financially competitive at a national level while bringing investment into the wider region.
The local authority received 24 objections from the public, raising concerns that the hotel could exacerbate existing parking pressures during major cricket matches and events at the ground.
But Durham Cricket Club said it will consult with residents on a regular basis about any issues and that appropriate measures were in place.
Planning documents stated the development would have some impact on local and wider landscape views, including the Grade I-listed Lumley Castle.
However, officers concluded the overall landscape harm would only be of "minor to moderate" significance.
