A CAMPAIGN group hoping to halt a £200m development has urged protesters to turn up in force at a planning meeting today.
Durham County Council’s planning committee is meeting at 2pm today in the council chamber at County Hall, Durham, to discuss an application by Banks Developers to build on the city’s Mount Oswald Golf Club.
Plans for the site include 16 self-design homes, accommodation for up to 1,000 Durham University students, up to 56 executive homes, up to 250 family homes, converting the Grade II-listed Mount Oswald Manor into apartments and building more on its car park, as well as creating a community facility.
Planning officer Peter Herbert will recommend approving the application to members .
An earlier bid by Banks, based in nearby Meadowfield, to build a mix of offices and homes at Mount Oswald was withdrawn after concerted public opposition.
Criticism of the new scheme has come from Durham MP Roberta Blackman- Woods, local county councillor Nigel Martin, and the City of Durham Trust and the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England.
A spokeswoman for Ms Blackman- Woods said she would be addressing today’s meeting.
Local residents have also formed a group called Save Mount Oswald (SMO), which asked supporters to sign an e-petition against the proposals on the grounds that such a large development would cause traffic “chaos”, lead to a loss of green space, have a “devastating” effect on wildlife, and increase pressure on local services.
The group also questioned the need for more executive housing and has urged residents to turn up at today’s meeting.
