For everyone who attended the “consultation” at Abbey Sport Centre on the County Durham Plan, I can confirm that my pressure for a more coherent event is now coming to fruition. Over the next 10 days the County council is arranging new locations for more meaningful consultation on the Plan, possibly including round-table discussions, updates on the previous consultation, more information on justifying or otherwise certain parts of the plans.

I expect these vents to take place in around six weeks time, and have been promised that one of these will be in the Framwellgate Moor/Pity Me area. As soon as I have the dates and locations I will make sure that they are advertised here on the website, in the local press, and will do my best to get a leaflet out, which some residents have said they will assist with delivering.

I get the impression that the County Council is genuinely looking at meaningful consultation after the lets be honest pretty chaotic and under equiped last attempt. They were genuinely shocked by the number of people who came along to the consultation and seem very keen to listen to views.

I also expect that some locations for the potnetial new housing will have been dropped by the time of the next meeting and also expect proper explanation of the need or otherwise for Aykley Heads to be developed, the need or not for the bypasses, and the housing impact on the greenbelt.

Further comment from residents is absolutely essential particularly for those who have serious concerns in Brasside and Pity Me about the greenbelt and bypasses. If you email me I will make sure you are added to an email list and send you a notification when I have more details on the events.

Mark