Planning Application

PLANNING APPLICATION WITHDRAWN February 2010

Banks, the developers, have withdrawn their plans for Elvet Waterside quoting the downturn in the economy as a factor in their decision.  The Elvet Waterside plans were submitted in January 2008 – the plans submitted include building on the greenfield site which we are campaigning to save.

Since the submission of the plans over 500 people have written to the Planners to object. To read the letters visit here 

The letters of objection include those from some illustrious past City residents such as Sir Harold Evans, former editor of the Northern Echo and the Sunday Times. He states that the plans are objectionable and should be rejected, adding “There are always profit arguments for this kind of luxury project, but this typically impoverishes the city for it removes a lung and does it in a way that is inimical to the variegated character of the city. I have visited many cities of the world and they would envy the amenities this application would destroy — and for what? Yet another undistinguished piece of real estate. I urge the city to take a longer view: a great city is more than a collection of bricks and mortar.” More

English Heritage are still objecting to the plans over “certain design aspects of the proposal” despite some revision by the developers. As a consequence the planners have advised the developers to withdraw their application and re-submit the plans.  In January 2010 Durham City’s MP Roberta Blackman-Woods met with Baroness Kay Andrews Chair of English Heritage to raise, amongst other things, concerns over the development of the Elvet Waterside site.

As the land proposed for development is on a flood plain designated 3A, the Environment Agency (E.A.) as a statutory consultee, originally objected to the planning application but, following discussions with the developer and amendments to the developer’s site specific Flood Risk Assessment, this objection was lifted in May 2008. The company ENTEC who prepared the calculations have been working on behalf of the developers BANKS, and also Durham City Council who engaged them to prepare the sequential test (in the absence of a Strategic Flood Risk Assesment by the City Council). Since the severe floods of July 2009 we have written to the Environment Agency to ask them to recalculate these figures and they have promised to do so at their own expense, to satisfy themselves that the calculations are correct.