®Planning appeal decision
Land North of Braeside, Edmondsley, DH7 6DX
construction of up to 171 dwellings, community hub and associated parking, school drop off/pick up car parking area, construction of new access from the B6532, provision of a ‘SuDS’ pond, associated infrastructure, and landscaping
- Authority
- Durham County Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Hearing
- Development
- residential · Major dwellings
- Inspector
- Heward H
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- the likely effects of the scale and location of the proposed development upon the setting, built form and character of the settlement of Edmondsley and the character and quality of the landscape
- the likely potential for adverse effects on an SSSI and Ancient Woodland, including whether there is evidence to show that effects could be satisfactorily avoided, mitigated or as a last resort compensated
What decided it
The absence of a legally secured, adequate compensation strategy for the likely indirect harm to Waldridge Fell SSSI and Congburn Wood Ancient Woodland meant the appeal had to fail, compounded by unresolved harm to the landscape and AHLV.
Moderate weight in favour of housing delivery and socio-economic benefits did not outweigh the harm to the character, quality and distinctiveness of the landscape and the AHLV, and even if it had, the lack of a suitable compensation strategy for harm to the SSSI and Ancient Woodland meant the appeal could not succeed.
Framework references: 174, 180, 60, 110, 111, 167, 211
Plan policies cited: CDP Policy 39, CDP Policy 6, CDP Policy 10, CDP Policy 29a, CDP Policy 43, CDP Policy 21, CDP Policy 35, CDP Policy 40, CDP Policy 41
The main issues and the deciding factor are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.