Military museum renovation gets £500k funding

There has been controversy surrounding the redevelopment of the DLI Museum

The redevelopment of a military museum has been awarded £500,000 by the Arts Council.

The restoration of the Durham Light Infantry (DLI) Museum in Aykley Heads, County Durham, has proved controversial due to its cost and because veterans' ashes had been scattered on the grounds.

A motion to prevent its redevelopment was voted down by councillors in March.

The museum was closed in 2016 as part of cost-cutting measures, but plans to redevelop the site were approved last year.

Conservative councillor Richard Bell previously said the redevelopment of the museum would cost Durham County Council £19.9m, with £3.5m of that coming from central government.

The new site would have space for up to three temporary exhibitions, meeting rooms, a cafe and a retail space, the local authority said.

The £500,000 Arts Council grant was new funding and would support the refurbishment, Durham Council said.

As part of preparatory works for the redevelopment, trees were cut down near the area where the ashes of fallen soldiers had been scattered.

Labour councillor Kevin Shaw previously argued against the plans and said there was no way of "understanding" where ashes had "been laid".

The full collection of the DLI will be held at a new museum called The Story in Mount Oswald, which will open on 14 June.

Items from the collection would be shown on rotation at the DLI Museum when it opened, the council said.