Author breaks silence over planning row
Feb 2 2008 by Neil Mckay, The Journal
AUTHOR Bill Bryson yesterday broke his silence over a controversial new development in his adopted city of Durham.
As president of the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England, he has been a vociferous critic of planning excesses.
Also chancellor of Durham University, he has long worn his love for England’s landscape on his sleeve, celebrating its beauty in books such as Notes from a Small Island.
Dr Bryson was recently quoted as saying that the government’s new planning bill showed “breathtaking disregard for valuable landscapes”.
So campaigners fighting plans to build homes, offices and a restaurant on a prime riverside site on Durham University’s doorstep were confident of enlisting his support. They argue that a covenant on the land, a disused bowling green on Elvet Waterside, forbade any development when it was handed over by the university to the city council in 1944 for public recreational space.
The Residents’ Association had hoped to present a letter of protest to Dr Bryson after inviting him to a demonstration on Thursday.
Pippa Bell, of the Elvet Residents’ Association, said the proposed development would “obliterate” views of the cathedral and the castle from the riverside.
Neither Dr Bryson nor a CPRE representative was able to attend Thursday’s protest, although the local CPRE branch is supporting residents. Mrs Bell said: “We recognise that as Chancellor of the University Bill Bryson must be in an awkward position concerning this matter, as Durham City Council and Durham University are jointly marketing the Elvet Waterside site which includes the greenfield land we are trying to save.”
But yesterday, Dr Bryson issued a statement, saying: “It has been suggested that I have been hypocritically silent over a proposed development at Durham.
“Commissioners for English Heritage (of which I was one until very recently) cannot, for practical reasons, comment publicly on developments that are under review.
“To suggest that I have been hypocritical for observing normal practice is, I think, a little unfair.
“Anyway, as anyone familiar with the case will know, English Heritage has expressed very public concerns about several aspects of the scheme. It will continue to press for the best outcome for this most sensitive site, and so will I.”
Justin Hancock, of Banks Developments, which is submitting a planning application to Durham City Council, said: “All the way through the design development process, we have been highly aware of the importance of creating a scheme which both complements and enhances the existing environment, and we believe we have put forward a plan that does so.
“We have been careful to respect the magnificent views of Durham’s World Heritage Site from Elvet and the surrounding area, and have specified designs and materials that will be very much in keeping with the city’s existing architecture.”
