A DEVELOPER has pledged to maintain a college sports field in Durham for public use.

Project manager Paul Langley, of HJ Banks, was speaking after the failure of a residents' attempt to have the field, on New College Durham's Nevilles Cross site, designated 'village green.'

HJ Banks has planning permission to develop the site, that closes as a college at the end of the academic year, in July, when New College re-locates entirely at its Framwellgate Moor centre.

The built area of the site is to be developed for housing and offices.

But part of the planning approval is to maintain Nevilles Cross playing field, a rugby pitch and its surrounds, for recreational use.

Local people wanted to back that up by applying for 'village green' status to prevent future u-turns on planning conditions.

Residents in 40 surrounding homes backed the application, citing regular recreational use of the field for the last 40 years.

But Durham County Council's licensing, registration and general purposes committee rejected the application.

They agreed that the residents had not enjoyed the mandatory 20-years uninterrupted use, as the college has staged weekly rugby matches.

But after the hearing Mr Langley said it was HJ Banks' intention to ensure the field is maintained for public recreation.

"We want it to be a community facility, incorporating a sports field, but with proper managed use of the site."

Mr Langley said the intention is to rope off the pitch and allow informal use of the rest of the recreation area by local people.

Professor Tom Shanks, who lodged the village green application with neighbour Louise Spence, said he hopes HJ Banks fulfils its pledge.

"If everybody is sincere and acts honourably then there won't be problem. It does seem that the developer, the council and ourselves have the same end in sight.

"But, our only worry is if the housing market goes down there might be pressure on Banks to come back to change the planning permission."