A new multi-million-pound digital media centre in the heart of Durham City has successfully opened.

Durham County Council’s building and facilities maintenance team was responsible for the construction of the £3.4 million project at Durham Sixth Form Centre, which welcomed its first students to the media complex earlier in the month.

The new state of the art facility includes a high-tech IT hub; a multimedia room; TV studio; cinema; conference and event room and 13 classrooms. As well as this, students can enjoy a new games room and have a bite to eat in the building’s café.

Sixty-three highly skilled workers and 13 locally sourced sub-contractors worked tirelessly to ensure the project was completed on time for the beginning of the new term in September, despite meeting some challenging ground conditions and weather along the way.

Paul Burr, Durham County Council’s building and facilities maintenance manager, said: “We’re pleased that the project was completed on time and that the new and returning sixth form students can enjoy the outstanding facilities.”

Ellen Beveridge, the headteacher, said: “We have enrolled over 900 students into year 12. Our highest number ever. I am so proud and delighted to see them walk into the new digital media centre, it’s amazing and we are so happy.”

For more information on the building and facilities maintenance service visit http://www.durham.gov.uk/buildingandfacilities