'Don't let statues anger cost city £5m' (From Durham Times)

'Don't let statues anger cost city £5m'

4:53pm Friday 11th September 2009 in News

IT would be “very disappointing” if anger over plans to move a landmark statue cost a city £5m-worth of investment, regeneration officials have warned.

John Mowbray, chairman of Durham City Vision, appealed to protesters to back the £5.25m Heart of the City project, which includes plans to move the Lord Londonderry statue across Durham Market Place.

Mr Mowbray stressed the scheme – said to be crucial for the future of the city and the World Heritage Site of Durham Castle and Cathedral – went well beyond the statue, including plans for re-surfacing, new street furniture and traffic reduction.

He added: “It would be very disappointing if the opportunity to lever in £5.25m were lost because of the moving of a statue 26 metres.”

Responding to the 5,500 people who signed a petition demanding the statue be left where it is, Mr Mowbray said: “We’ve taken on board the petition and shifted as much as we can.

“We’ve ended up with a position that still allows all the infrastructure to go in there, but at the same time moves the horse the minimum distance.

“We’ve gone back and looked at the central axis and looked at the buildings on either side of the statue and considered the backdrop and context more carefully.”

One of the aims of the Heart of the City scheme is to make the Market Place more suitable for events and markets.

Mr Mowbray said last year’s Christmas lights switch-on had been “downright dangerous”.

“The Market Place doesn’t work operationally and it’s not entirely safe for the scale of events that are beginning to happen.”

Durham county councillors are expected to vote on the proposals in October.

Meanwhile, the expert chosen to restore the Londonderry statue has been speaking about the project, during a visit to Durham.

The landmark will be out of the Market Place for about six months from October as Rupert Harris carries out muchneeded repairs - which could see it change colour from green to brown.

Mr Harris said: “It’s a challenge because of its size and because the copper is delicate and thin. We’re going to have to treat it very gently.”