Durham residents collect academy petition

Jul 15 2009 by Neil McKay, The Journal

RESIDENTS furious at plans to build a new academy on the site of a popular playing field are to hand in a 600-name petition in protest tomorrow.

Anger is growing at the attempts by Durham County Council to build the academy at Moorfield, Belmont, Durham City, a piece of greenbelt land with a thriving community centre, a skateboard park, basketball court, cricket field, football pitches, children’s park and a bowling green.

Already a public meeting at Belmont School Community Arts College attended by some 400 people left council bosses under no doubt about the strength of public feeling.

The council already angered parents, staff and teachers at Belmont, a successful school, over its plans to merge it with another school at Gilesgate to form a privately sponsored academy.

Staff staged two one-day strikes and marched behind a banner at Saturday’s Durham Miners’ Gala in protest at the plans.

In Durham City the two possible sites earmarked by the council for the proposed academy are Moorfield opposite Durham City Retail Park; and the existing site of Belmont School Community Arts College, including its detached playing field.

But retired quantity surveyor Colin Bond, 76, of Gilesgate Moore, Durham, described the plan to build on Moorfield as “criminal”.

He said: “Nobody in Belmont or Gilesgate Moor are in favour of the plan. This field is the only piece of greenbelt land east of Durham City.