National Trust says sale of land for East Middlesbrough bypass would be dereliction of duty

From the Evening Gazette, 5 October 2009 -

'SELLING off land at Ormesby Hall estate for an East Middlesbrough bypass would be a dereliction of its duty, says the National Trust.

The proposed new single-carriageway road is at the centre of a controversy between Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland councils.
Middlesbrough Council wants the road to be built with a number of measures to alleviate traffic problems on routes into the town from the south.
Redcar and Cleveland’s Cabinet has confirmed its opposition to the road plan. It prefers to make progress on alternative measures to ease traffic congestion - especially the Marton Crawl.
In taking its decision, the Cabinet pointed to the opposition to the plan from the National Trust.
The route of the proposed bypass from Swans Corner at Nunthorpe to Longlands in Middlesbrough would require land at the edge of the Ormesby Hall Estate, which is owned by the National Trust.


Nick Dolan, the National Trust’s Property Manager for Ormesby Hall, told the Gazette the National Trust had been involved with previous studies, which had found the building of a new road to be an impractical solution on a number of grounds.

“Whilst the National Trust is keen to support sustainable solutions to Middlesbrough’s transport problems, and is willing to maintain an open dialogue with both Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland Councils, the National Trust is an independent charity established for over a century to protect valuable open space, and this vital protection of land will continue.

“The Ormesby Hall Estate was given to the National Trust by the Pennyman family to ensure such a ‘green lung’ remained for local people and other visitors to enjoy.

“Therefore it would be a dereliction of our legal duty to approve the loss of this important land to development.”'

Lib Dems Councillors for Ormesby and Nunthorpe have passed on details the National Trust's position to local residents on the road for years.

It is time Middlesbrough Council's Mayor recognised the reality of the situation and started looking for realistic and sustainable solutions to local traffic problems.

The response to the Lib Dems' petition to keep local green space earlier this year showed the overwhelming wish of local residents to oppose the road and Redcar & Cleveland's Labour Council's scheme for 115 houses on the Swan's Corner field.