Beyond Bricks and Mortar: How Business Durham Manages Space to Help Businesses Grow in County Durham

Over the past year, Chris Pape, Property Director at Business Durham, has been at the heart of shaping the organisation’s property portfolio. As part of Durham County Council, Business Durham manages a wide range of properties across the county, ensuring they meet the needs of businesses at every stage. In this interview, Chris reflects on the challenges and opportunities in County Durham’s diverse property market. He discusses how Business Durham is investing in existing sites, delivering new hubs like Rookhope Business Centre and driving forward the NETPark expansion to support science and technology businesses. He also shares his vision for how the property portfolio can go beyond simply providing buildings, instead acting as a catalyst for business growth, innovation, and long-term economic development.

Reflecting on your first year, what has surprised you about the property market in County Durham?

One of the things that struck me most is just how diverse County Durham’s property landscape really is. Because of the county’s size and geography, the needs of businesses can look very different from one town to the next. That brings challenges, but also huge opportunities – it means we can be really responsive and think locally about what each area needs. I’ve also been encouraged to see how much potential there is in reimagining existing spaces. Across the North East there are some great examples of old industrial or heritage buildings being given a new lease of life, and I think there’s real scope to do more of that here. What excites me is that we don’t just have to build new; we can also create inspiring, flexible workplaces by repurposing what we already have, which is often what businesses – especially in the creative and high-growth sectors – are looking for

How are you approaching these opportunities and challenges?

“For me, it’s about taking a balanced approach,” he says. “Our first priority has to be investing in what we already have – making sure our buildings are fit for purpose and continue to support our tenants. At the same time, we need to look carefully at supply and demand across the county. If the private sector is meeting the need, we don’t want to compete. But if it isn’t, that’s where Durham County Council and Business Durham has a role to play – either through new development or by repurposing existing buildings.”

He points to creative examples from elsewhere, “Businesses, especially in creative and high-growth sectors, are looking for more than just a vanilla office box. They want character, flexibility, and space that inspires their teams.”#

Has demand changed since the pandemic?

“Absolutely,” Chris notes. “People are used to having options when working from home – a desk, a sofa, a kitchen table. They want the same flexibility in the workplace. That means spaces with breakout areas, soft furnishings, and opportunities for collaboration, not just rows of desks. We’re seeing more businesses whose staff are mostly working remotely that still want space they can bring teams together in for a day, a week, or for the start of a project. That creates opportunities for us to rethink how we design and offer space.”

Delivering for businesses across the county

Over the past year, Business Durham has been putting these ideas into action.

• NETPark Expansion – In one of the county’s biggest investment projects, the expansion of NETPark (the North East Technology Park) was completed, creating new lab, office and production space for innovative companies. “The expansion has been critical,” Chris says. “Without it, we risked losing some of our most successful firms to other regions. Instead, we’ve kept high-growth companies like Filtronic in County Durham and opened up space for the next generation of science-based start-ups.”

• Innovation space at Tanfield Lea – At Tanfield Lea Business Centre, a major refurbishment has created a vibrant new hub for entrepreneurs and small businesses. “The old space was a bit sterile,” Chris explains. “We’ve invested in new furniture, flexible layouts, and breakout areas to create a start-up hub that’s modern, welcoming and collaborative. It’s about giving people a reason to want to base themselves here and then supporting them to grow.”

• Rookhope Business Centre – Business Durham has also developed the new Rookhope Business Centre, converting a former village school into high-quality workspace in one of the county’s more rural areas. “This is a great example of thinking locally,” Chris says. “Not every business can travel to Durham city or one of our bigger towns. Centres like Rookhope provide the right facilities closer to where people live, helping to support local enterprise and communities.”

Together, these investments demonstrate Business Durham’s commitment to providing clear stepping stones for business growthacross the county. From entry-level hubs such as Rookhope Business Center, through to specialist labs and large-scale production space at NETPark, our portfolio provides stepping stones that grow with a company’s needs. This flexible approach not only helps businesses to start locally and scale sustainably, but also ensures there is always space for the next generation of entrepreneurs to begin their journey.

What does this mean for Business Durham’s property strategy?

Chris outlines a clear set of priorities for Business Durham’s property strategy. Central to this is supporting existing tenants by continuing to invest in the current portfolio and ensuring buildings provide the right environment for growth. Alongside this, the team is focused on understanding local needs by assessing supply and demand in towns and villages across the county, and stepping in to fill gaps where the private sector cannot, targeting investment where it adds real value rather than competing. Looking further ahead, the strategy also considers how the property portfolio can best support County Durham’s key growth sectors, ensuring businesses in high-potential industries have the space and facilities they need to thrive.

“There’s also a big piece around being more than a landlord,” he adds. “If a start-up applies for space, we want our business support team involved right at that enquiry stage. It’s about making sure the business gets the right premises for their growth journey, and that they have access to the advice and networks that will help them succeed.”

NETPark: a jewel in the crown

While much of Chris’s focus has been on the countywide portfolio, NETPark remains a flagship asset. “NETPark plays a huge role in supporting innovation and advanced manufacturing, not just for County Durham but for the whole North East. It gives start-ups, scale-ups and global players in the science and technology sector the space they need to grow – from small labs to large-scale production facilities – alongside world-class support from Durham University and CPI.”

The new expansion has added vital capacity, but Chris is already looking ahead. “The new buildings will fill quickly. We need to plan now for what comes next, so that we continue to provide the right space and don’t constrain the growth of our most ambitious companies.”

Looking ahead, what can businesses expect?

“In the next 12–18 months we’ll be investing in our portfolio, refreshing some of our sites, and making sure first impressions really count,” says Chris. “At the same time, we’ll be working with partners to assess demand across the county and planning for what comes next – whether that’s flexible hubs, repurposed buildings, or new developments.”

This also means rethinking the role of town centres. With traditional retail in decline, their future depends on becoming destinations that combine work, leisure and community. Independent cafés, creative studios, cultural venues and flexible workspaces all have a part to play in making high streets vibrant, sustainable and relevant to how people live and work today.

His vision is clear: “County Durham’s property offer has to support businesses at every stage – from a start-up taking its first desk to a global player building a manufacturing base. If we get that right, we’re not just providing space. We’re helping to create jobs, attract investment, and shape a stronger economy for the county.”

Take a look at the properties Business Durham manages on our property pages.