Calls from campaigners for further consultation over a design code in relation to the proposed Skerningham Garden Village have been rejected. 

Councillor Chris McEwan, a decision-making member on the development, told councillors that “the clock is ticking” and officers can’t wait any longer in order to progress the plans. 

The cabinet member for economy and Labour member provided the update on the council’s current position with the plans at the latest Darlington Borough Council cabinet meeting. 

Up to 4,500 houses and facilities such as a GP surgery and schools could be built at the Skerningham Garden Village, to the north of the town, by 2036.

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The ambitious proposal has been earmarked in the council’s Local Plan but has received a mixed reaction from residents, with hundreds joining a campaign to oppose it. Key warnings among residents include the location of a new distributor road and protecting the woodland area.

The Northern Echo: Campaigners against the proposed distributor road, which could cut through Skerningham Woodland Campaigners against the proposed distributor road, which could cut through Skerningham Woodland (Image: The Northern Echo)

But despite assurances from the previous Conservative-led council that the woodland area had been ‘saved’ in January, the new Labour-led administration has warned that its future isn’t as secure as it first seemed and criticised the “shocking assertions” made by the previous leadership. 

He added: “The overriding impression is that it was an on the hoof political electioneering stunt.

“We cannot get away from the fact that the Local Plan states a local distributor road will be provided. As the detailed design of the road has not been carried out we cannot state it will not affect at least some of the wooded area.”

The design code is due to be approved at a later date but Cllr McEwan ruled out any further consultation and stressed it is not a definitive document on the future of the housing development. 

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However, campaigners say the current design code is “imperfect” and takes away the rights of residents to have their say, leaving some with more questions than answers. 

Cllr McEwan added: “This is about protecting our position. Without agreeing the design code, a planning application could be put in for houses to be built on Skerningham with much lower environmental and design standards.

“My view is that the clock is ticking and in my judgement we need the design code now as a safeguard.

“There has been substantial consultation and I don't think any further consultation will significantly change the design code and has the material risk of leading to a Skerningham development that is much the poorer.”

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Yet Conservative leader Jonathan Dulston questioned Labour’s previous election pledge of trying to remove Skerningham in its entirety or reduce the “scale and impact” of the development.

An election leaflet earlier this year read: “If it’s not possible to stop the development, then we will work hard to ensure Skerningham works for the community, for nature and for wildlife.” 

Cllr Dulston added: “There’s no substance from this Labour-controlled council in its commitment to protect Skerningham -  that is loud and clear. Is this the first of many u-turns?”

Cllr McEwan said his party had explored ways of stopping and delaying the current Local Plan but it was not possible.