ENVIRONMENTAL campaigners have created a list of potential housing sites in a bid to protect green spaces.

The move comes as Darlington Borough Council looks to create its Draft Local Plan to identify areas suitable for development up 2036.

As part of the consultation, the catalogue of new 'brownfield' sites has been drawn up by the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE).

CPRE Darlington secretary Gillan Gibson said: “We were very interested to see the council's recently published register of brownfield sites in Darlington and we have suggested several more.

“Some might remember it was the redevelopment of several former heavy industrial sites – with the aid of Government Derelict Land Reclamation grants – in the ‘80s and ‘90s which minimised the need for peripheral growth until recently.

“We’re hoping these further suggestions will help take the pressure off the countryside by having affordable houses built in the right places, rather than executive houses being built into the countryside which destroys green spaces and does not tackle the housing crisis.”

The sites and comments, detailed in a letter to John Anderson, assistant director of policy and regeneration at DBC, include:

l The St Cuthbert’s Way car park – “this has received temporary planning permission for three years and would make an excellent housing site, with other adjoining vacant land and buildings to the west of Borough Road"

l Cleared land, car parks and vacant warehouses in the Garden Street/Weir Street area – “ideal for residential development. We understand the owner of the now cleared former Hayward and Robertson site has intentions for this. The success of the Skerne Studios shows what can be achieved

l Car parks and vacant buildings, including the former Varley’s Mill and JL Moore’s warehouse, in the Four Riggs and Upper Archer Street area – “they are in need of development and housing would be suitable here to arrest the decay of this important location”

l There are some smaller sites in Duke Street, Stenson’s Yard; Yarm Road; Peel Street; and Haughton Road, Barton Street; which would make good housing sites

l The proposed redevelopment of the Park Place car park/Sorting Office area for 500 plus dwellings as part of the Station Growth Hub

The council is currently seeking the views and opinions of residents across the borough with the two final drop-in consultations sessions, both at the Dolphin Centre: Saturday, July 28, 11-3pm and Monday 30, 3-7pm.

Consultation is due to end on August 2.