10:45am Tuesday 8th January 2008
By Lauren Pyrah
PLANS to turn Darlington Football Clubfs former Feethams ground into a housing development have been unveiled.
Residents are being asked for their views on plans to build 139 houses and flats on the site after proposals went on display at Darlington Cricket Club yesterday.
The plans are being shown to residents before they are formally submitted to Darlington Borough Council.
It is the second time the Esh Group has put forward plans for public consultation on the site.
Darlington Cricket Field Trust, which owns the land, is selling it to Esh for an undisclosed amount and a covenant on the land dating from 1900 means the money will be reinvested into a sporting facility for Darlington.
But residents say the land would be better used as an outdoor sports complex, while a local councillor fears the access road could cause traffic problems.
The developers, however, say the plans have been altered significantly to take householdersf views into account.
Changes to the plans include: Access to the site from Feetham South rather than a bridge across the Skerne from Victoria Embankment; Reduction in the number of units from 160 to 139; Leaving a row of trees next to the river for screening; Adding a pelican crossing near the Feethams roundabout.
Resident Clare Haithwaite, who lives in nearby Victoria Embankment, said while the new plans were an improvement on the former proposals, she was opposed to the development in principle.
gI donft see why we need more houses. They should be turning it into a leisure facility and making it an asset to the town,h she said.
Councillor Cyndi Hughes, who represents Park East ward, said: gOnly residents in the streets bordering the site received official notification of the event.
gI am disappointed with such a big development that more people in the town have not had an opportunity to have their say.
gI am also concerned about the access on to Victoria Road, where traffic is already abysmal.h Brian Johnson, chairman of Darlington Cricket Field Trust, said: gIf the development goes ahead, we will have a large sum of money in our hands.
gI have made it clear to the local authority we would be perfectly prepared to sponsor or combine with them in any sporting development for the benefit of the town.h
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