why are we campaigning?
The University of Durham and Durham City Council jointly marketed a brown field site at Elvet Waterside, behind the Royal County Hotel on Old Elvet, which at present is the city swimming baths site and the university car parks for development. At the eleventh hour these two bodies decided to include the previously undeveloped greenfield site which incorporates Racecourse Park (the former bowling green, owned by the City Council) and the green open space behind Racecourse Park (owned solely by the University) in this development.
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We are seriously concerned about the City Council’s recent performance on planning (and licensing) issues and do not feel that we can be relaxed about the quality of the planning advice that Councillors receive from their officers or about the calibre of the Councillors making the decisions. Why? Because there has been evidence in recent months and years of Councillors appearing to blame the public or the government when they have got things wrong. We can make sure that the relevant arguments have been put forward and that the Council can’t blame residents. For example, after the decision to approve a lap dancing club in the city was overturned, the City Council leader was quoted in the press as saying ‘..there was insufficient evidence given at the initial hearing...’ We need to ensure that he cannot make a similar criticism (however unjustified) about the evidence put before the planners for the Elvet Waterside application.
Our worries have been increased by the Ombudsman’s recent criticism of the council’s planning decision in relation to Soccarena which now impairs an important view of the World Heritage Site; by the Planning Inspector’s findings against the council in relation to the Ice Rink site; by the City of Durham Trust’s criticisms made about the failure of the council to insist on lowering the structure of the Walkergate development to the heights that had been permitted; and by the building of 148 houses on a Greenfield site at Ushaw Moor despite the Inspector recommending the proposal be deleted from the Local Plan. The proposals for Elvet Waterside and the proposed Mountjoy development are only the latest in a sorry saga of inappropriate proposals. We will only succeed in preventing further damage to the City and the World Heritage Site if the Elvet Waterside proposals can be effectively reined in via properly argued objections through the planning process.
We believe that all green space on the riverbank in Durham City should be retained for recreational use and not built on. Therefore we are opposed to this green area being included in the development proposal for the following reasons:
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This is the only recreational space owned by Durham City Council on the banks of the River Wear, and as such is owned by the residents of Durham who as council tax payers ensured its purchase in the first place.
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This part of the riverbank is a greenfield site, was previously green belt and is in a Conservation area and an area of High Landscape Value.
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This is an historic and well-used recreational area, particularly during the Miners Gala established in 1871 and Regattas (Durham Regatta is 173 years old this year and older than Henley Regatta)
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We want to protect the ancient views and perspectives of the World Heritage Site of the Cathedral and Castle from the riverbanks – Unesco World Heritage Site.
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The green space area proposed for development is a category 3a flood plain and is therefore the highest at risk area for flooding – see environmental issues.
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We believe that this recreational park should be included in the proposed ‘Necklace Park’ along the River Wear which has emerged from the 20/20 Vision for the City of Durham and surrounding areas. In the City of Durham Local Development Framework Planning for the City Centre and Retail document the Necklace Park is described as; “ An initiative which aims to encourage public access, engagement and enjoyment of the River Wear and adjacent land, at the same time as making physical and cultural connections between Durham City and the surrounding communities” . This park could become the ‘diamond’ in the necklace which links the City to the outlying communities, and therefore should not be developed.