THE region’s leading university is considering building 1,000 student flats on a city golf course, it has revealed.

Durham University has agreed to work with developer Banks Property, with a view to buying and building on the north-east corner of the 93-acre Mount Oswald Golf Course, off South Road, Durham, as well as turning Mount Oswald Manor House into offices.

Professor Chris Higgins, the university’s vice-chancellor, said any new student accommodation would be part of its collegiate system and be a balanced academic community – with undergraduates, postgraduates, Fellows and senior academic staff.

The news emerged ahead of a public meeting, held at Durham Johnston School last night, to discuss Banks’ plans to build a £200m housing development on the golf course.

The firm has asked Durham County Council for outlying planning permission for 16 self-design homes, each costing millions, up to 56 executive homes, up to 250 family houses, community facilities and parkland – along with the student accommodation.

Banks says the project would support 220 jobs, create 16.3 acres of public open space and help free up city centre houses for families. However, critics say the plans are far too big and would sacrifice green space and cause traffic chaos.

At last night’s meeting, Durham City MP Roberta Blackman-Woods urged residents to object to the proposals.

She said most of the green space proposed was actually private gardens, that Banks’ consultation had contained leading questions and the vehicular access would be dangerous.

A spokesman for the newlyformed Save Mount Oswald campaign said: “It’s time we stopped this, otherwise the city will disappear under all the houses they’re trying to cram in.

“South Road is one of the most beautiful areas (of Durham City).

“If we don’t stop this now we’ll be left with it for generations to come.”

Ahead of the meeting, Mark Dowdall, environment and community director at The Banks Group, said: “We firmly believe that our Mount Oswald proposals offer an excellent way in which future student accommodation objectives might be realised.

“We are very pleased to be working in principle with the university in examining how this development might be shaped to meet their particular requirements.”

Banks expects the council to make a decision on the planning application before the end of the year.