Council proposes panel to oversee regeneration

Sedgefield Borough Council says that the panel will be responsible for considering new sections of the authority's Local Plan.

The plan focuses development on four of the biggest towns in the borough - Newton Aycliffe, Spennymoor, Ferryhill and Shildon - aimed at breathing new life into these communities, through housing and shopping.

Members of Sedgefield council's cabinet will be told next week that thousands of people have been consulted over the plan and hundreds have sent in written responses to the authority.

Several people suggested new sites for employment-generating development, including part of Church Quarry, Aycliffe, and land off the A1(M) junction to the south of Aycliffe.

Local people also believe that a call centre-type development should be encouraged in the borough.

While generally supporting an approach to concentrate on improving shopping in the town centres, some people suggested there may be a need to allow exceptions, such as Internet shopping.

A range of sites for new shopping and commercial leisure development have been suggested which are outside of towns, such as Woodham Bridge and the former greyhound stadium, in Spennymoor.

There has been a lot of support for using the Local Plan to promote opportunities for tourism development, particularly where new public investment is being made.

This would include the National Railway Museum in Shildon, Hardwick Hall Park in Sedgefield and the National Cycle Route, along the former Castle Eden rail line.

One of the subjects that people feel strongly about is ensuring that off-street car parking is not reduced, because of the absence of reliable and convenient alternatives to car travel in the area.

The council intends to address all the matters raised in the consultation, before the Local Plan can begin to be implemented.

Officers have suggested establishing a policy advisory panel, to meet monthly, to consider sections of the Local Plan as it continues to develop.