Councillors in Durham City area received an update this morning on the next stage of consultation on the County Durham Plan – Greenbelt and Bypasses.
I am waiting for a copy of the presentation so I can upload it.
Key proposals for consultation from the Council are as follows. I did get some estimates on housing numbers:
Three main housing sites proposed, plus development of Mount Oswald and Aykley Heads.
Sherburn Road – Est. 500 houses on land to East of Sherburn Road.
Hag House (North of Arnison Centre) – Est. 500-800 houses, including possibly land running from Red House to Newton Grange (before going into Brasside)
Sniperley – Area increased considerably in size (more than previously consulted on), going across the Potterhouse Lane boundary formerly suggested, with est. 2000-2800 potential houses, as well as a possible community hub/centre.
Aykley Heads – Mainly redeveloped for commercial buildings, but with some housing around current police headquarters area.
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Routes of bypasses (North and Western) more clearly defined with details of potentially sensitive areas along their routes.
Northern bypass running between Brasside and Newton Hall, but closer to Newton Hall side than perhaps previously outlined. With route crossing River Wear roughly 1km south of Belmont Viaduct and joining the A690.
Western Bypass route from Sniperley Roundabout area, crossing Bearpark Road and coming out between Stonebridge and Broompark.
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INITIAL VIEW:
The increase in the size of the land to the West/North of Sniperley on the way to Witton Gilbert/Sacriston brings into question the initial rounds of consultation which did not include a big chunk of this land. Clearly if all the area being proposed was developed it would encroach even more on Sacriston.
The reduction in the proposed housing numbers on Hag House area from 2186 to 500-800 estimate appears to be partly due to the topography of the area.
The question still remains as to whether any of these sites should be opened up for development at all.
The two bypasses will pass through some very sensitive areas of countryside and the Northern Bypass will require a substantial bridge structure visible from the World heritage Site.
Plans can be viewed at Framwellgate Moor Community Centre on 17th October from 4pm to 8pm.
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I made it very clear at this mornings meeting that increasing the area of land on the Sniperley site makes a mockery of the initial rounds of consultation. I also made it clear that any development must be contingent on improvements to the existing Pity Me, Framwellgate Moor, Newton Hall and Brasside areas including such things as regeneration of existing communities, improvements to highways and footpaths and upgrading of unadopted roads, more parkland and open spaces and improvements to infrastructure (schools, doctors, etc).
The Community Infrastructure levy which could be imposed as part of these plans is capable of including this, though clearly it is time to find out what local residents feel overall about whether any development should go ahead based on these new proposals and what residents would expect to see if this did go ahead.
What it is important to remember in all of this is that it is proposals for the next 20 years, although it was mentioned that the Western Bypass would have to go ahead within 3-5 years for the rest of the development to occur.