Meadow protection bid fails

Barnaerd Castle’s annual bonfire night celebrations and its weekly parkrun remain in place after a bid to secure protected designation on the upper Demesnes wildflower meadow failed.

It emerged this week that an unidentified resident had attempted to get the meadow declared a local wildlife site.

If successful, it would have meant rerouting the parkrun and moving the bonfire night display to another location.

Organisers of Parkrun in Barnard Castle had earlier this summer said they would consider changing the route following concerns expresed by one of the meadow’s founders, botanist Dr Richard Warren, about damage caused by runners to the meadow’s health.

Last week, Dr Warren called on Barnard Castle Town Council members to confirm their feelings about the site because there seemed to be no progress on changing the route.

He said: “Sadly, the effects on the meadow are now far more pronounced. The run entails well over a hundred participants each week. Paths that were a gentle 50cm wide are now more than 2m in width.”

Dr Warren added: “Do any, or all, of them feel it is preferable to stubbornly stick with this short but potentially permanently damaging section of the route, rather than making a minor adjustment in order to have a thriving and beautiful meadow for future generations?

He also wanted to know what efforts would be made to prepare the land for the fireworks night bonfire each year, with a view to a quick and easy replanting of the scar which would otherwise be left after that event.

However, the town council has revealed it had held a site visit with an officer from Durham County Council’s ecology team.

He felt the impact of the parkrun on the meadow was minimised because it goes around the perimeter.

In a statement the council said: “This meeting was arranged in part because we were aware of a resident wanting to have the hay meadow designated a local wildlife site; the designation, if agreed, would prevent the Parkrun and the annual town bonfire from taking place.

“The officers report concluded the grassland (hay meadow) did not meet the required criteria to be designated as a local wildlife site but was a valuable natural grassland area.

“Reference was made to the parkrun route which he was shown follows the path around the outer perimeter and was seen as minimising recreational disturbance and acceptable provided the race directors ensure that no checkpoints etc are set out within the grassland.

“The town council are reassured from the report and from direct discussions with the officer that the environment and recreational use of the area can be enjoyed by everyone.”

The issue of the Demesnes was raised at the town council’s services committee on Monday, July 27, where an alternative route was discussed but dismissed because of the officer’s reassurances.