A COUNCIL masterplan envisages “steroid development” for Durham City, a public inquiry heard today (Wednesday, October 8).

Douglas Pocock, from the City of Durham Trust, said Durham County Council’s County Durham Plan (CDP) would be a “nightmare” for the historic city, with repercussions for the whole county.

The CDP earmarks land for 5,200 new homes around Durham by 2030, including 4,000 on green belt land.

Dr Pocock told the CDP examination in public the authority had been insensitive to the green belt and its consultation had been meaningless.

John Lowe, chair of Sidegate Residents Association in Durham, said the new housing would harm the city’s character and residents had no confidence in the council’s plan and John Ashby, from the Friends of Durham Green Belt, questioned why the council believed 5,200 extra homes would give Durham the “critical mass” to be a city of regional, national and international importance.

Mike Allum, for the council, said it takes the special qualities of Durham very seriously and the CDP presents the best possible opportunity for the city.

The council is fully committed to the green belt, he said, but the current economic conditions facing the county mean there are exceptional circumstances justifying building on it.

The fourth day of the six-week inquiry at Durham County Cricket Club focused on the CDP’s proposals for Durham City and particularly Aykley Heads – which would become a world-class business hub.

Ian Thompson, the council’s corporate director for economic regeneration, said the council would leave County Hall, at Aykley Heads, for another yet-to-be-identified site in the city by Spring 2020.

Councillor Grenville Holland said Aykley Heads was a very sensitive site and questioned how 6,000 new jobs, which he called “something the size of Nissan”, could be packed in.

Simon Goon, from Business Durham, said the jobs would be in professional services, not manufacturing, meaning less space would be needed and added there had been “great interest” in the site.

Mr Allum said the council’s vision for Durham was ambitious but realistic and achieveable.

The inquiry continues tomorrow (Thursday, October 9), when the focus will be mutli-million pound plans to build two new bypasses for Durham City.