Homes plan for playing field (From Darlington and Stockton Times)
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Housing proposed on old Middlestone Moor school field
2:20pm Wednesday 20th March 2013 in News
By Catherine Priestley, Chief Reporter (Sedgefield)
PLANS to build new houses on a playing field near Spennymoor are being opposed by residents and sports organisations.
Durham Villages Regeneration Company has applied to Durham County Council for permission to build 48 houses on the former Middlestone Moor School fields.
The school was replaced with housing in 2006 after which its old fields were laid out as a football pitch, though the goalposts have since been removed.
Now DVRC, a partnership between builders Keepmoat and Durham County Council, wants to develop the 1.43 hectare site off South View and Highcroft.
It proposes building ten two-bedroom and 38 three-bedroom houses, seven of which would be social rented properties. The scheme includes associated roads, paths and garages with access off South View.
Sport England, the Government agency for sports development, has objected fearing it would worsen a shortage of playing fields in the area which is already hampering local football development.
While considering the application, Sport England consulted the Football Association which also objects unless the playing field is replaced.
The FA said that while the site has been out of action for a while that is not due to a lack of need and said there is a shortage of junior and mini pitches, with a club in nearby Byers Green in constant contact with Durham FA about the problem.
DVRC’s agent, Queensberry Design, states the playing field is of poor quality, with little scope to improve and that plan incorporates 2,924sq m of public open space which is more than required within a development of its size.
Residents have also objected and their arguments include the overdevelopment of the Spennymoor area for housing, the need to protect and improve sport and recreation facilities along with potential traffic problems, loss of privacy and views.
In a letter to the council, one couple wrote: “What was once a green area is now a built-up urban area and we have lost what was once a village.”
And another resident wrote: “This field should be left alone or put to better use for sport or recreation use for future generations.”
Queensberry Design says the scheme would integrate with its surroundings and increase the already rising standard of the neighbourhood.
Consultation on the planning application ends on April 3.
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Comments(3)
jimatdurham
says...
8:09am Sun 24 Mar 13
i know they also plan on closing more factorys in green lane spennymoor to build houses.
whos going to buy them when there is no jobs to pay for them?
im sure someone is getting money for passing all these building plans.
josie40
says...
3:57pm Mon 25 Mar 13
What of the "Bessemer Park experiment" (your words). I lived on Bessemer park before and after the regeneration. It was a wonderful place to live- full of community spirit.
Why are people so ready to pull Spenny and its councillors to pieces. We live in a brilliant part of the north east, and the local town councillors do good for our town. Lets give them some thanks for a change
D D Coy says...
5:45pm Thu 21 Mar 13
2011/12 SPENNYMOOR TOWN COUNCILLORS ANNUAL ALLOWANCE £1500.00p
2011/12 BISHOP AUCKLAND TOWN COUNCILLORS ANNUAL ALLOWANCE £440.04p
Both towns are of similar size & both are controlled by Labour, yet Spennymoor Town Councillors receive £1059.96p more per annum or 240% more in allowances + expenses, compared to Bishop Auckland.
Simple Question: Why & Who Benefits..?
Simple Answer: Certainly not the electorate of Spennymoor..!
• LABOUR CONTROLLED SPENNYMOOR TOWN COUNCIL AWARDED THE RISE AT THE ONSET OF AUSTERITY
• SPENNYMOOR RESIDENTS PAY AMONGST THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF COUNCIL TAX IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.
• IN 2011/12 THE MAYOR OF SPENNYMOOR RECEIVED IN EXCESS OF 7X MORE THAN THEIR BISHOP AUCKLAND COUNTERPART.
• £1000’s HAVE BEEN WASTED ON FIRST CLASS TRAVEL & ACCOMODATION BY LABOUR COUNCILLORS.
• MOST WORRINGLY, SINCE 1997 1000’S OF JOBS HAVE DISSAPEARED FROM THE TOWN AND AREA FOREVER!
• HOUSING IS NOW BEING BUILT UPON THOSE FORMER FACTORY SITES BECAUSE D.C.C. PLANNERS APPARENTLY KNOW BEST? DO YOU REMEMBER THE BESSEMER PARK EXPERIMENT?
• THE PEDESTRENISATION OF HIGH STREET. ‘Durham County Council Planners will continue to make catastrophic errors of judgement, as inept Labour Councillors observe and fail to offer any alternative policy or even any form of objection’.
• ONLY ONE BISHOP AUCKLAND TOWN COUNCILLOR CLAIMED EXPENSES IN 2011/12 ON TOP OF THE BASIC ALLOWANCE, CAN YOU GUESS THE NUMBER OF SPENNYMOOR TOWN COUNCILLORS THAT CLAIMED EXPENSES?
IT WOULD APPEAR THAT SPENNYMOOR LABOUR COUNCILLORS BENEFIT WHILST HIDING BEHIND PARTY POLITICAL POLITICS WHILST REWARDING THEMSELVES.
“Your vote does count on 2nd of May 2013, ensure that you use your vote & please use it wisely as every penny counts!”
'In December 2012, I attempted to get the just of the above past the censor of the town council subsidised free community paper, but for some odd reason my letter was not published'.