A NATIONAL conservation pressure group is opposing the possible concreting of common land near a city centre.

The Open Spaces Society said it is "appalled" at the prospect of a third of The Sands, an open grassy area alongside the River Wear in Durham, becoming a temporary car park.

Residents are fighting city council proposals to use it for parking while construction takes place on the nearby planned Walkergate development. The Walkergate car park will close by Christmas, work, before work starts.

The affected part of The Sands would be reinstated on completion of the Walkergate scheme, which includes a 500-space multi-storey car park.

The council has applied to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), for special consent to build the car park on common land.

As with similar applications, the Open Spaces Society - recognised experts on common land -has been consulted.

Society case officer Nicola Hodgson said: "We're appalled that the council can contemplate using an area of ancient common land, within a World Heritage site, and an area of high landscape value, for a mere car park.

"The Sands is a well-used public open space, a green lung in Durham, loved and enjoyed by local people and the thousands of visitors to the city each year.

"Although the council claims that the car park will be removed after two years, and the land reinstated, it is impossible to restore an historic open space and an ancient common.

"Clearly, the construction of a car park here will make an irreparable scar on this beautiful area."

The society has called on Defra to reject the application.

Despite the change in power at the town hall, the Liberal Democrat leadership has refused to rule out the plan as one of three options for temporary car parking. It is feared shoppers would desert Dur-ham without the provision of parking spaces within easy reach of the city centre.

The trade body Durham City Forum said the Sands' option was, "the most practical solution". But Durham Labour MP Gerry Steinberg supports the Sands' residents, opposing the removal of, "an extremely valuable and well-used green open area".