Last autumn, the draft County Durham Plan (CDP) had its examination-in-public. There were a huge number of objections over development in the green belt and challenges on so many other issues.

Today the government inspector, Harold Stephens, delivered his DURHAM-COUNTY-COUNCIL-INSPECTORS-INTERIM-VIEWS-Stage-1-County-Durham-Plan-Examination-published-18.2.2015

The report essentially rips the plan to shreds. Mr Stephens says that he does not accept the Council’s population estimates. That the Council has not made a case for “exceptional circumstances” to justify building in the green belt. That the western and northern relief roads cannot be justified on traffic and environmental grounds. And that the council’s revised policy on student accommodation will not work.

It is clear that the current plan is unsound and needs major rewriting, something that cannot be done in a few months. Indeed in my view the County Plan is in so many areas not worth the paper it is written on and so many people have been vindicated.

The Council is probably going to have to start over on many key aspects.

I shadow Councillor Neil Foster on the council. He is the Regeneration and Economic development cabinet member. he was responsible for this plan. He and his colleagues completely ignored every submission we made. Their arrogance was nauseating. I fail to see how he can possibly hold on to his position.

As a travelled from Sacriston to Pity Me in the car today there was a beautiful rainbow over the greenbelt.

Perhaps a celestial nod to the people of Durham that for now at least our greenfields and world heritage City are protected from the evil machinations of the dictatorship which is County Hall.