Development

Morgan Farm conservation push would offer a Plan B if development falls through

A Durham advisory commission wants the property kept in the city's long-range open space plans even as a new 437-home proposal moves through the development review process.

Wes Platt

Wes Platt

— 6 min read
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Morgan Farm conservation push would offer a Plan B if development falls through
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Southpoint AccessWes Platt

Last week, the latest iteration of a plan to put hundreds of homes on 218 acres along Farrington Mill Road went before neighbors for a virtual meeting.

Morgan Farm II, proposed to allow 437 detached homes, is just starting its process toward potential development. But it's not the first go-round for this land.

Originally pitched as Sheffield Farms, with up to 950 units that got trimmed to 700, it got rejected by Durham City Council in 2025. Then, reanimated as Morgan Farm with a conservation subdivision plan, the project fell again on a 5-2 vote in April 2026.

Now, while Morgan Farm II works its way through the system, the Durham Open Space and Trails Commission is set to consider a new backup plan to preserve the land if the project fails again.

Morgan Farm development timeline

Sheffield Farms
The first major development proposal for the site called for as many as 950 homes on roughly 218 acres. The plan was later reduced to about 700 homes before City Council rejected it.
Morgan Farm
The property returned under a new project name with a smaller proposal for up to 437 detached single-family homes and a conservation-subdivision approach. City Council rejected the annexation request 5-2 on April 20, 2026.
Morgan Farm II
The current proposal again calls for up to 437 detached single-family homes. A neighborhood meeting was held Oct. 14, 2026. The case remains in the early application and staff-review stage, with no Planning Commission or City Council hearing scheduled yet.

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