A CAMPAIGN has been launched to save wildflower meadows in Darlington that have been left undeveloped for more than a decade.

Meadows at Maidendale Farm, at the end of Salters Lane South, were allocated as employment land by Darlington Borough Council in 1997, but no development has so far taken place.

Members of the Friends of Maidendale Nature Reserve are now calling on the council to protect the fields, pointing out that other adjacent land around Morton Palms, also allocated for employment, has stood empty for years despite the road infrastructure being present.

The Friends also point out that national planning policy states that employment sites should not be protected in the long term if there is no reasonable prospect of it being used for that purpose.

According to the friends group, the land is not a brownfield site, it boasts wildflower meadows, an abundance of wildlife and would significantly benefit the Darlington community if it was protected as a nature reserve.

The group is submitting an Asset of Community Value application to accompany their campaign, which has been dubbed Fields of Gold.

An online petition has also been launched with an accompanying statement from the Friends which says: “It is important to save the wildflower meadows, this land has always been farmland; it is not a brown field site.

“We started this campaign to raise awareness of the council's industrial strategy, saving this land from industrial development will make a significant benefit and lasting change in people's lives.

“Extending the existing nature reserve will protect this area and its wildlife for future generations.”

The petition can be found at change.org by typing ‘Maidendale’ the search box.