City coach park site is of ‘global importance’
The site of a former Durham City coach park could be considered of ‘global significance’, a government inspector has been told.
Durham County Council (DC C) is attempting to strip the land of its protected ‘common land’ status, to make way for a car park serving its planned new £50million riverside HQ.
But opponents seeking to preserve the area, part of the wider Sands site, have attempted to argue it is integral to the city’s ranking as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
“National importance, in this sort of understanding of it, relates to its role within the inner setting of the World Heritage Site ,” said Michael Hurlow, a landscape architect and conservation expert who is also a City of Durham Trustee.
“If you started to relate it fully to the inner setting, you might start to think about it being higher than[ of national importance ].”
He added: “It could be seen in support of something of global importance, and that’s how it would be viewed – cast in the reflection of [the World Heritage Site].”
Mr Hurlow was speaking at a public inquiry into the county council’s application to strip the land, which makes up less than six per cent of the wider Sands site, of its‘ common land’ status.
Evidence submitted by DC C heritage assessor, Professor David Sparkes, and based on guidelines laid out by Historic England, claimed the land had ‘no heritage assets’ and that there was ‘no historical value to the site in its current form’.
Stephen Whale, a planning law specialist acting for DCC, insisted Prof Spark es had used the‘ gold standard’ assessment in making his judgement.
Criticising Mr Hurlow’s approach, he added: “Your approach is not a standard approach.”