Rural campaign meets housing protesters
Residents concerned about proposed developments on green belt land across Sunderland have met with chiefs from the Campaign to Protect Rural England.
At a public meeting, members of groups such as the Save West Park campaign and Springwell Residents’ Association spoke of working alongside each other to oppose development on green belt and green field sites as effectively as possible.
The meeting was called in response to worries over the Sunderland Draft Core Strategy and Development Plan, which is under consultation, but is set to dictate planning and development until 2033.
Groups from North Hylton, South Hylton, South Bents and Hetton, aslo raised concerns.
Addressing a packed meeting in the National Reserve Club in Albion Place, Richard Cowen, chairman of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) North East branch, said: “The most important thing anyone who has concerns can do is to register them with the council planners.
“Those concerns will have to be noted, but unless you make them over the next couple of weeks – the closing date for consultation is Monday, October 4 – your opposition will not be noted.”
It was also argued by some guests that public consultation so far has been inadequate.
But the CPRE focused on the process by which people could hope to change aspects of the plan itself.
Mr Cowen added: “These are hugely-important plans for the people of Sunderland, potentially shaping the future, and it is important that individuals and communities know that now is their moment.”
The council has said that 13,824 more homes are needed by 2033. Iain Fairlamb, head of planning and regeneration at Sunderland City Council, has previously said that the authority welcomes all feedback from residents and that they can give their views on the proposals via a consultation at www.sunderland.gov.uk/CSDP.
For further information contact CPRE secretary Gillan Gibson by emailing: gillan_gibson@yahoo.co.uk.