Formal application made to de-register common land at The Sands

The authority announced its intention to de-register part of The Sands, in Durham, earlier this year as part of its plans to build its headquarters and a car park on the land.

• Fears for nesting birds if plans to turn Durham meadow into common land goes ahead
• Durham County Council: Work starts at The Sands car park, Durham

The area it wishes to de-register, land which, until recently, was used as a coach park, has already been fenced off by contractors working on the project.

The application, made to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, also seeks to register a replacement parcel of common land at Aykley Heads.

A report by the council's said: "The existing coach park use is unauthorised in common land terms, which is a historic issue inherited by the council from the the former City of Durham Council.

The common land the council is seeking to de-register was, until recently, used as a coach park. It has now been fenced off for development

"This situation was established during investigations for the proposed new council HQ at the Sands.

"Accordingly, the council needs to make a de-registration application to both address this anomaly and because possession of the release land without the restrictions imposed by registration as common land is required for construction of a new car park for the proposed new council headquarters, which it intends to construct on the adjoining land."

The application was approved by the council on August 20 and was submitted on August 22, ten days after the area was fenced off to allow work to start at The Sands.

The council held an informal consultation prior to the application being made, resulting in a number of objections, including from Natural England, which questioned whether the replacement land serves the community and the Open Space Society which said the public had nothing to gain from the exchange.

Objections were also made by St Nicholas Community Forum, the City of Durham Parish Council, Councillor David Freeman and Gilesgate Residents’ Association.

Meanwhile Durham Freeman, which has an interest in the land, described the replacement land as “completely unsuitable”.

The replacement land, which is required to be within the vicinity of the land to be de-registered and must be suitable for grazing animals, is a meadow at Aykley Heads, approximately ten times the size of the land at The Sands.

Concerns have been raised about nesting birds and whether the new designation could disturb them.

The application can be viewed at Clayport Library, in Millennium Place, Durham, and at County Hall until September 24.

People can make representations on the proposals by writing to the common land team at the Planning Inspectorate at 3A Temple Quay House, Temple Quay, Bristol BS1 6PN or by emailing commonlandcasework@planninginspectorate.gov.uk.