Development question (From Durham Times)

Development question

9:02am Friday 20th July 2012 in Leader

THOSE who have already set out their opposition to Durham County Council’s masterplan for the county doubt that Durham City can shoulder the lion’s share of economic growth visualised in the plan.
Will the county’s jewel in the crown be tarnished by placing most of the development eggs in the city’s basket?
It is a good question but perhaps the more pertinent one right now is whether future levels of growth will make this plan just a pipedream.
The plan is ambitious and and based on the premise that the economy as a whole returns to something like the robust growth we experienced before the current downturn. That is is by no means certain.
The existence of a plan is no guarantee that home developers and businesses will ultimately make the decision to invest.
But if the economic good times do return, can Durham absorb all this additional housing and the roads that will go with them?
City-centre traders will no doubt be rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect but will the price to be paid through the loss of green belt and the additional congestion all the extra people and vehicles will bring be too great?
We don’t have the answer, but somebody at the county council needs to be able to provide some reassurance.