On Monday 21st June UNESCO in Paris held a Zoom meeting on the topic of the Historic Urban Landscape initiative for World Heritage Sites in urban locations. A team from the Durham Castle and Cathedral World Heritage Site and the City of Durham Neighbourhood Plan Working Party were invited to speak. They presented a case study ‘Neighbourhood Plans: supporting a World Heritage Site‘.

You can read the Durham presentation.

HUL-Anniversary-Durham-presentation

The meeting was recorded and is available on YouTube.

Previously the City of Durham Parish Council submitted the Neighbourhood Plan to UNESCO as an example of management practices, events, and activities related to World Heritage and historic cities. The Neighbourhood Plan contains policies to protect and enhance the World Heritage Site and the heritage and green and blue assets within the setting surrounding the World Heritage Site.

Theme 2(a): A beautiful and Historic City – Heritage
Theme 2(b): A Beautiful and Historic City – Green Infrastructure

The Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) is an approach to the management of heritage resources by recognising the wider context in which they are placed. This includes the broader urban context and its geographical setting, the social and cultural context and the interconnections between all these tangible and intangible elements.

In support of the City of Durham Parish Council’s aims for the future of the parish, our logo celebrates the forces that have helped shape the Durham we see today.

its nationwide contacts via north- south road and railway routes
its unique townscape shaped by the river banks
its past associations with the black diamond of coal
its reputation as the ‘jewel in the crown’ forged by religion, university and commerce
its protection by the encircling green belt of open countryside.

On 6th May 2021, residents of the City of Durham Parish area went to the polls to elect their new Parish Councillors and to also vote on the Neighbourhood Plan referendum.

The results of the local Parish elections have now been announced and a full list of all those elected can be found via the website link here: https://www.durham.gov.uk/parishelectionresults2021

At the Neighbourhood Plan referendum, residents were asked the question: “Do you want Durham County Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Durham City to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?”. At the referendum, 85.6% (4306 votes) voted in favour of adopting the Neighbourhood Plan. The Neighbourhood Plan has now been formally adopted as the Development Plan for the area.

A copy of the referendum version of the Neighbourhood Plan can be found online here: http://npf.durhamcity.org.uk/the-plan/the-plan-as-pdf/

The Parish Council wishes to thank all those who have supported the production of the Neighbourhood Plan.