Dear Sir,
Along with many Middridge residents, my husband and I are outraged to learn of GATC’s proposed takeover of part of the eastern boundary of our parish.
One reason given, apparently, is that because residents of the new estate proposed there will use the facilities of Newton Aycliffe therefore the site should be considered part of it. This very flawed argument could be applied to Darlington and Newton Aycliffe: most of us use Darlington’s facilities, are you prepared to surrender land to Darlington for the same reasons?
We wonder if Middridge’s longtime non-political status renders us the Underdog in this battle?
Both Durham and Newton Aycliffe councils are strongly Labour in flavour; are we to be bullied by them and annexed using Big Brother political tactics?
Middridge is slowly being encroached upon because of the Shildon (Spout Lane development), the proposed new estate on our eastern boundary and the proposed biting off of a chunk of our parish land. If this continues, there will soon be no recognisable Middridge and an ancient, historical village will disappear forever.
John and Stephanie Morland