Protection and Long-Term Security of Community Green Spaces
This Council notes that:
a) Bellburn Field, the Triangle of Land off Sparrowhall Drive, and Tommy Crooks Park are valued community green spaces that provide significant environmental, recreational, and social benefits to local residents.
b) These spaces contribute positively to physical and mental wellbeing, biodiversity, and community cohesion.
c) Local residents have consistently expressed strong support for the preservation,
improvement, and long-term protection of these sites.
d) Once public green spaces are lost to development or sale, they are rarely replaced, leading to permanent harm to local communities.
This Council believes that:
a) Publicly owned green spaces should be protected for current and future generations.
b) Investment in community parks and open land is essential to improving quality of life and supporting healthier, safer neighbourhoods.
c) Clear guarantees regarding the future of these sites will provide reassurance to residents and strengthen trust in the Council’s stewardship of public assets.
This Council resolves to:
a) Formally designate Bellburn Field, the Triangle of Land off Sparrowhall Drive, and Tommy Crooks Park as protected community green spaces.
b) Commit to increased and sustained investment in the maintenance, improvement, and accessibility of these sites.
c) Give a clear and binding commitment that Darlington Borough Council will not sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of these pieces of land for development or private ownership.
d) Ensure that any future decisions relating to these sites involve meaningful consultation with local residents.
e) Request that officers explore appropriate legal or policy mechanisms to secure long-term protection of these spaces within council policy and planning frameworks.
Minutes:
The following Motion was submitted by Councillor Dulston and seconded by Councillor Durham:
Protection and Long-Term Security of Community Green Spaces
This Council notes that:
a) Bellburn Field, the Triangle of Land off Sparrowhall Drive, and Tommy Crooks Park are valued community green spaces that provide significant environmental, recreational, and social benefits to local residents.
b) These spaces contribute positively to physical and mental wellbeing, biodiversity, and community cohesion.
c) Local residents have consistently expressed strong support for the preservation,
improvement, and long-term protection of these sites.
d) Once public green spaces are lost to development or sale, they are rarely replaced, leading to permanent harm to local communities.
This Council believes that:
a) Publicly owned green spaces should be protected for current and future generations.
b) Investment in community parks and open land is essential to improving quality of life and supporting healthier, safer neighbourhoods.
c) Clear guarantees regarding the future of these sites will provide reassurance to residents and strengthen trust in the Council’s stewardship of public assets.
This Council resolves to:
a) Formally designate Bellburn Field, the Triangle of Land off Sparrowhall Drive, and Tommy Crooks Park as protected community green spaces.
b) Commit to increased and sustained investment in the maintenance, improvement, and accessibility of these sites.
c) Give a clear and binding commitment that Darlington Borough Council will not sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of these pieces of land for development or private ownership.
d) Ensure that any future decisions relating to these sites involve meaningful consultation with local residents.
e) Request that officers explore appropriate legal or policy mechanisms to secure long-term protection of these spaces within council policy and planning frameworks.
The following Amendment to the Motion was moved by Councillor McEwan, and seconded by Councillor Beckett:
This Council notes that:
a) Bellburn Field and Tommy Crooks Park are valued community green spaces that provide significant environmental, recreational, and social benefits to local residents.
b) These spaces contribute positively to physical and mental wellbeing, biodiversity, and community cohesion.
c) Local residents have consistently expressed strong support for the preservation, improvement, and long-term protection of these sites.
d) Once public green spaces are lost to development or sale, they are rarely replaced, leading to permanent harm to local communities.
e) The Conservative-led administration’s Local Plan, agreed in 2022 (including by Councillor Dulston and Councillor Durham), offered no protection from development for Bellburn Field, the Triangle of Land off Sparrowhall Drive or Tommy Crooks Park.
f) The Conservative-led administration’s Local Plan, agreed in 2022, also allocated the Triangle of Land off Sparrowhall Drive for housing. Accordingly, this area is currently being investigated for housing and in particular, for council homes for social rent.
g) In a recent callout for areas to be designated as local green space, Councillor David Beckett and Councillor Joe Dillon were the only councillors that came forward to suggest such designation, for Bellburn Field and Tommy Crooks Park respectively. No Conservative councillor (including Councillor Dulston and Councillor Durham) came forward with a proposal to designate any such areas.
h) Given the suggested designation by Councillor David Beckett and Councillor Joe Dillon, the process has already started to consider Bellburn Field and Tommy Crooks Park as designated local green spaces. This change, amongst others, to the Local Plan, is currently out to consultation and Councillors may want to consider responding to this consultation and then supporting the suggested revised Local Plan later in the year.
This Council believes that:
a) There is a need for quality publicly owned green spaces that are protected for current and future generations.
b) There is also a need for more Council housing. The housing waiting list stands at just under 2,000 households. There is a need to balance the need for quality publicly owned green space, with homes for everyone.
c) Investment in community parks and open land is essential to improving quality of life and supporting healthier, safer neighbourhoods.
d) Clear guarantees regarding the future of Bellburn Field and Tommy Crooks Park will provide reassurance to residents and strengthen trust in the Council’s stewardship of public assets.
e) Formal action being taken to protect important green space through existing mechanisms is much more important and effective than political campaigning and playing politics.
This Council resolves to:
a) Look to designate Bellburn Field and Tommy Crooks Park as protected community local green spaces, as part of the process of updating the Local Plan.
b) Commit to maintaining these sites.
c) Give a clear and binding commitment that Darlington Borough Council will not sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of these pieces of land for development or private ownership.
d) Ensure that any future decisions relating to these sites involve meaningful consultation with local residents.
e) Request that officers explore appropriate legal or policy mechanisms to secure long-term protection of these spaces within council policy and planning frameworks, as part of the process of updating the Local Plan.
Members entered into discussion on the Amendment before taking a vote. The Amendment was carried, and thus became the Substantive Motion.
Another Amendment was submitted by Councillor Holroyd, seconded by Councillor Lawley, which read as follows:
This Council notes that:
a) Valued community green spaces that provide significant environmental, recreational, and social benefits to local residents are key local amenities across Darlington.
b) These spaces contribute positively to physical and mental wellbeing, biodiversity, mitigating the effects of climate change, and community cohesion.
c) Local residents have consistently expressed strong support for the preservation, improvement, and long-term protection of these sites.
d) Once public green spaces are lost to development or sale, they are rarely replaced, leading to permanent harm to local communities.
This Council believes that:
a) There is a need for quality publicly owned green spaces that are protected for current and future generations.
b) There is also a need for more Council housing. The housing waiting list stands at just under 2,000 households. There is a need to balance the need for quality publicly owned green space, with homes for everyone.
c) Investment in community parks, open land and other existing green spaces is essential to improving quality of life and supporting healthier, safer neighbourhoods.
d) Clear guarantees – and in many cases legal protection - regarding the future of green spaces will provide reassurance to residents and strengthen trust in the Council’s stewardship of public assets.
e) Formal action taken to protect important green space through existing mechanisms is the only effective course of action.
This Council resolves to:
a) Carry out an audit to identify, document and then designate parks, greens, amenity grassland, cemeteries, green lanes, footpaths, river banks and other valued green areas as protected community local green spaces across all areas of Darlington Borough, as part of the process of updating the Local Plan.
b) Commit to maintaining and enhancing biodiversity and accessibility of these sites, and seek to create new protected green spaces in areas where these are currently lacking.
c) Give a clear and binding commitment that Darlington Borough Council will not sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of these pieces of land for development or private ownership.
d) Ensure that any future decisions relating to these sites involve meaningful involvement of and engagement with local residents.
e) Request that officers explore appropriate legal mechanisms to secure long-term protection of these spaces within council policy and planning frameworks, so green spaces are protected wherever possible, as part of the process of updating the Local Plan.
Members entered into discussion on the Amendment before taking a vote, and the Amendment fell.
A third Amendment was submitted by Councillor Mrs. Culley, which read as follows:
This Council notes that:
a) Tees Grange (also known as the Bull Field), Bellburn Field and Tommy Crooks Park are valued community green spaces that provide significant environmental, recreational, and social benefits to local residents.
b) These spaces contribute positively to physical and mental wellbeing, biodiversity, and community cohesion.
c) Local residents have consistently expressed strong support for the preservation, improvement, and long-term protection of these sites.
d) Once public green spaces are lost to development or sale, they are rarely replaced, leading to permanent harm to local communities.
e) The Conservative-led administration’s Local Plan, agreed in 2022 (including by Councillor Dulston and Councillor Durham), offered no protection from development for Bellburn Field, the Triangle of Land off Sparrowhall Drive or Tommy Crooks Park.
f) The Conservative-led administration’s Local Plan, agreed in 2022, also allocated the Triangle of Land off Sparrowhall Drive for housing. Accordingly, this area is currently being investigated for housing and in particular, for council homes for social rent.
g) In a recent callout for areas to be designated as local green space, Councillor David Beckett and Councillor Joe Dillon were the only councillors that came forward to suggest such designation, for Bellburn Field and Tommy Crooks Park respectively. No Conservative councillor (including Councillor Dulston and Councillor Durham) came forward with a proposal to designate any such areas.
h) Given the suggested designation by Councillor David Beckett and Councillor Joe Dillon, the process has already started to consider Bellburn Field and Tommy Crooks Park as designated local green spaces. This change, amongst others, to the Local Plan, is currently out to consultation and Councillors may want to consider responding to this consultation and then supporting the suggested revised Local Plan later in the year.
This Council believes that:
a) There is a need for quality publicly owned green spaces that are protected for current and future generations.
b) There is also a need for more Council housing. The housing waiting list stands at just under 2,000 households. There is a need to balance the need for quality publicly owned green space, with homes for everyone.
c) Investment in community parks and open land is essential to improving quality of life and supporting healthier, safer neighbourhoods.
d) Clear guarantees regarding the future of Tees Grange (also known as the Bull Field), Bellburn Field and Tommy Crooks Park will provide reassurance to residents and strengthen trust in the Council’s stewardship of public assets.
e) Formal action being taken to protect important green space through existing mechanisms is much more important and effective than political campaigning and playing politics.
This Council resolves to:
a) Look to designate Tees Grange (also known as the Bull Field), Bellburn Field and Tommy Crooks Park as protected community local green spaces, as part of the process of updating the Local Plan.
b) Commit to maintaining these sites.
c) Give a clear and binding commitment that Darlington Borough Council will not sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of these pieces of land for development or private ownership.
d) Ensure that any future decisions relating to these sites involve meaningful consultation with local residents.
e) Request that officers explore appropriate legal or policy mechanisms to secure long-term protection of these spaces within council policy and planning frameworks, as part of the process of updating the Local Plan.
Members entered into discussion on the Amendment submitted by Councillor Mrs. Culley before taking a vote on the Amendment. The Amendment fell.
The Substantive Motion was then put to the meeting, which was carried.