DURHAM Police are facing further criticism after chiefs claimed one in 15 people of working age in the dale are out of work and building homes on Barnard Castle’s former police station would boost employment.
Durham Police and Crime Commissioner Ron Hogg wants to sell the old police station and nearby green space in Bede Kirk for housing, but residents want part of it declared a town green.
Assistant chief officer Gary Ridley said about 250 people from Teesdale claim jobseekers’ allowance.
Durham Police has estimated that when figures for other types of benefit are added in, more than 1,000 people aged 16 to 64 are considered to be out of work in the dale. That’s about one in 15 people of working age.
Mr Ridley said: “Last year, a state-of-the-art centre shared by all four emergency services was built in Wilson Street. As well as providing an unrivalled emergency services’ centre, that development was worth millions of pounds to the economy of Barnard Castle. The development of Bede Kirk will provide good houses for local people who need them, it will create dozens of good jobs in Barnard Castle and it will generate cash to support frontline policing.
“A thousand people are out of work in Teesdale and that’s a thousand reasons why it should go ahead, because it will bring real benefits to real people.”
Darlington-based charity the Railway Housing Association wants to build 22 houses, including bungalows for the over 55s, at Bede Kirk.
Durham Police say the £3.2million development would directly create jobs in the town during the construction phase and more in the longer term through an injection of investment into Barnard Castle’s economy.
In a statement, the force said the work could ultimately be worth about £10million to the town, including support for the building trade, additional council tax revenue and extra custom for town centre shops.
But campaigners who want to save the green space say the figures don’t stack up.
David Stacey, who lives nearby and wants the green retained, said: “Well, it is not going to be local people who get the money. I think that is a fig leaf trying to cover up what is a lot of money. You can smell the money a mile off on this one.
“They say it will bring a rush of wealth to Barnard Castle. I don’t believe that at all.
“Even if it did produce jobs for local people, it will only be for six months while they build, nothing after that.”
Mr Stacey questioned whether elderly people who move to the bungalows would be able to walk to the town’s shops and suggested they were more likely to have their groceries delivered from supermarkets outside the town.
He added: “Where is the democratic process? It is typical police attitude of ‘this is good for you, mate’. It is policing from the 60s.
“Ultimately the land was given to the police by Durham County Council. It is the land of the people, so why are they making it a money-making racket?
“We understand the police station needs to be developed, that is quite a big area. But leave the green. Barnard Castle is going to be wall-to-wall houses.”
Barnard Castle Town Council is backing the campaign to have the space declared a green and has helped collect evidence from people who have used the space over the years.
The case is to be reviewed by Durham County Council during a meeting on May 11.
Mr Stacey welcomed news that the meeting will be held in Barnard Castle, although the time and venue have yet to be confirmed.
Town mayor Cllr Sandra Moorhouse echoed Mr Stacey’s comments about site.
She said: “I find it a little confusing because we are only talking about the area of the green. What they are talking about is the whole area which isn’t relevant to the small area we want to keep. The numbers game on it isn’t quite there. I think it is about a third of the total area of Bede Kirk. The whole point of having housing up there isn’t a problem, but the green would be very beneficial for the people who live there.”
She added that any jobs created by the development would be short term.
