The City of Durham Parish Council has said it will oppose any further release of Green Belt land as part of the ongoing County Durham Local Plan.
It has warned it may challenge proposals through the planning process and, if necessary, at the High Court.
The position follows the publication of sites submitted under the ‘Call for Sites’ exercise by Durham County Council. The submissions include areas of Green Belt land around the city, put forward by landowners and developers for potential future development.
Sites identified include land at Stonebridge, Lowes Barn Bank, Crossgate Moor, Merryoaks, Moorhouse Wood, Sidegate and Hopper’s Wood.
Concerns have also been raised about potential impacts on Aykley Woods and the Neville’s Cross battlefield area.
The parish council said further development would increase pressure on the A167 and local infrastructure, and could affect biodiversity, heritage assets and the surrounding landscape.
Councillors agreed at a meeting in June to formally oppose further Green Belt release through the Local Plan. They said previous allocations at Sniperley had already supported significant housing development and argued Durham had contributed to meeting housing need in the county.
Neville’s Cross councillor Elizabeth Scott criticised the proposals, saying: ‘This government may want to see a brick on every blade of grass left in Durham, and Durham County Council seems all too willing to embark on a bargain-basement sell-off of our Green Belt at any price. That is not a future we are prepared to accept.
‘The Green Belt is not spare land waiting to be built on. It protects the unique setting not just of our historic city but also neighbouring towns and villages, it prevents urban sprawl and preserves the countryside that generations have fought to safeguard. Once it is gone, it is gone forever.’
Image: Jeffrey Zhang/UnSplash
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