Dear Sir,
With reference to the recent Article in the Newton News for Week Ending 28th November, 2014, entitled “Will New Housing Development Swamp Middridge Village?“ I would like to make a few comments:-
1. 80% of the proposed Persimmon Housing Development is outside the area designated as “Eldon Whins” in the new Draft (and current) Durham County Plans. Since the new County Plan identifies all the required future Housing in County Durham, most of the proposed Persimmon Development is arguably surplus to requirements. For this and other reasons, the majority of Middridge Residents are against the Persimmon Proposal.
2. It may be that it was intended to include some or all of the proposed Persimmon Development in the “Aycliffe Master Plan”. However, since all this land lies outside Great Aycliffe, in the Parish of Middridge, it would be better if this was settled in a spirit of good neighbours, rather than resorting to the Petition, which in view of the difference in populations, frankly reeks of “bully-boy” tactics.
3. I don’t know who has stated that “Middridge are only interested in the extra income they would receive from rates”. Since it is Great Aycliffe Town Council who are trying to take over part of Middridge Parish, I would suggest that this is more likely to be their motive.
A.D. Jordan