Fears reserve could be considered for housing
GoogleA council has been urged to remove a nature reserve from a list of sites which could be considered for future housing development.
Aykley Wood Nature Reserve, in Durham, is among land put forward for development as part of preparations for the new County Durham Plan (CDP).
But Liberal Democrat councillor Mark Wilkes said the cabinet "shouldn't have allowed" the land to be proposed.
Durham County Council's ruling party Reform insisted no decisions had been made and accused the opposition of causing unnecessary alarm.
Wilkes, who represents the Framwellgate and Newton Hall ward, described the 18-hectare (45-acre) Aykley Wood Nature Reserve as an important environmental asset "in full view" of Durham's UNESCO World Heritage Site.
He called for the land to be "immediately" removed from the scoping exercise before "any further upset is inflicted on residents across this county".
Reform councillor and portfolio holder for planning, investments and assets Joe Quinn stressed the "call for sites" exercise was only the first stage of the plan-making process.
"Nothing's been allocated," he said.
"It's a scoping exercise - there are over 850 calls for site.
"Until the plans are finalised, then nothing is concrete."
SuppliedThe member for Ferryhill added anyone could submit land through the process, including developers, the council and members of the public.
"You could have put a call for sites in on my house or you can put a call for site in on your house," he told a council scrutiny committee.
"It doesn't mean it'll get approved on the plan and it doesn't mean the planning permission will be approved.
"I think councillor Wilkes is purposely causing distress to these people by suggesting that this is a done deal.
"It's absolutely not a done deal; it is a scoping consultation."
But Wilkes questioned why the council had allowed a nature reserve to appear in the consultation documents at all.
The meeting was told residents had contacted him in distress over the proposals, with some "crying" on the phone.
The dispute comes as parish councils around Durham City threatened legal action if additional green belt land is proposed for development in the next plan.
The call for sites exercise is the first stage in preparing the plan.
Submissions will be assessed by the council before any preferred development sites are identified for consultation.
