Durham Council Likely to Reject College Housing Plan on Former Field

East Durham College wanted to build houses. They planned 54 homes on their Willerby Grove campus. The land used to be a playing field. It hasn’t been used since 2019 though. Metal fences surround the overgrown field.

The college said they can’t afford to reuse it, stating they have no plans to keep it as a field. Durham council planners disagree with the college and suggest rejecting the housing plan. A meeting about it is coming up soon.

The planners think it’s wrong to lose the field, underlining it takes up almost five acres. They say the college didn’t prove it’s extra land. Also, new roads would mean cutting down trees, and these trees are important to the area.

Sport England also doesn’t want the plan, as they say it removes a playing field. They add that the college didn’t show it wasn’t needed, nor did they offer a replacement field. This makes the plan difficult to approve.

However, a local MP supports the homes. Grahame Morris thinks it can help the college, claiming it uses wasted space. The project could bring in money, which would help college programs and add housing.

The college initially proposed 63 homes, reducing the number to 54 later. The college calls the site ideal, stating it’s near stores, buses, and homes. It has good routes for walkers and public transport.

The area has schools nearby, south of the site. A factory area sits west across a road. A shopping center is to the site’s east, and this center includes stores like Lidl and Morrisons.