Who are we?


A group of local people who love the City of Durham and who are determined to save from development Racecourse Park (former bowling green) and any of the green space east of the wall bordering the swimming baths car park wall on Elvet Waterside. We originally came together under the umbrella of the Elvet Resident’s Association. We are not against the Elvet Waterside development on the brownfield site of the old swimming baths and on the site of the University of Durham car parks. However we strongly object to any development on the previously undeveloped greenfield site, east of the swimming bath car park wall, which has always been used for recreation purposes by the citizens of Durham.


STOP PRESS.......... Feb 2010 - Developers withdraw their plans for Elvet Waterside quoting the downturn in the economy as a factor in their decision.

February 2010, the developers BANKS have withdrawn their plans for Elvet Waterside. We are now campaigning to ensure that there will be a new Development Brief excluding the green spaces east of the old swimming baths wall, which reflects the existing tree-line, is the natural urban edge of the City and marks the line of the historic City racecourse.


See the NEWS and HOW YOU CAN HELP pages.

Over 7,500 people (which include local residents from within the city and beyond, students, graduates of the University of Durham and visitors to Durham) have signed 3 petitions which were presented to the City Council, the University,  Banks the developers and to the local MP Roberta Blackman-Woods (which she presented to Parliament in July 2008, see NEWS expressing their total opposition to the development of this green space.


Since the application for planning permission was submitted in January 2008 over 500 people have written to the Planners to object to the plans. To read the letters visit here


We understand that in light of a continued objection from statutory consultee English Heritage the planners have advised the developers to withdraw their plans, this has now been done.


Our research into local planning policy, regional planning policy and advice from Planning consultants have highlighted the fact that the plans to build on the former bowling green and the green triangle of land behind it, contravene many of the planning policies which have been written to safeguard greenfield sites, open space and recreational space such as this.

In 2008 the planners sought legal advice concerning the greenfield status of the bowling green and have confirmed that it constitutes “‘greenfield’ land in planning terms”.  However, Professor Higgins the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Durham was not aware of this fact as he has in the past corrected our reference to the bowling green as greenfield land, in one instance stating that “It is Brownfield site and it was a coal depot until rather recently”. He is erroneously referring to an area about 300 metres away now used as a maintenance yard by the University, not the bowling green. Professor Higgins has since acknowledged that the bowling green is greenfield land following advice from us, nonetheless we are concerned that the University could make such a fundamental error about a development of which they are a part.


The greenfield site is:

 

  • Designated Flood Plain 3a by the Environment Agency, that is land at greatest risk of flooding 
  • Previously undeveloped land 
  • In a conservation area 
  • An area of high landscape value 
  • Well-used Recreational space 
  • The site of many mature trees 
  • An important part of the townscape 
  • A key perspective to the World Heritage Site from the North East