00:01Questions have been raised over a council land sale in County Durham after opposition
00:06councillors claimed a development site at Sniperly may have been undervalued.
00:11This prompted calls for government scrutiny and renewed questions over how public assets
00:15are priced and sold locally.
00:18The site, known as Cater House Pit, forms part of the wider Sniperly housing development
00:23on the edge of Durham City, where a deal has been agreed by Durham County Council under
00:27its regeneration programme.
00:29That's now being questioned by opposition members.
00:33Councillors including Liberal Democrat Mark Wilkes say figures they have seen suggest the
00:39land was sold for a fraction of its potential value, arguing that the council may have failed
00:45in its duty to secure the best possible price reasonably obtainable.
00:50Durham County Council says an independent valuation was carried out, reviewed by its own valuers,
00:57and endorsed by statutory officers, insisting the sale reflects appropriate market conditions,
01:03and that correct procedures were followed throughout the decision making process for the land transaction.
01:10The council has refused a call in request, meaning the decision will not be reconsidered internally,
01:17while opposition councillors say they will now raise the matter with government, warning
01:23that any reversal could delay housing delivery and affect wider plans for the site.
01:28They will now be watched by releasing the property claim.
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