®Planning appeal decision
Land North of Braeside, Edmondsley, DH7 6DX
Planning appeal 3286140 at Land North of Braeside, Edmondsley, DH7 6DX (Durham County Council) was dismissed on 7 April 2022 by Inspector Heward H, following a hearing. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: 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.
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.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- CDP Policy 39CDP Policy 6CDP Policy 10CDP Policy 29aCDP Policy 43CDP Policy 21CDP Policy 35CDP Policy 40CDP Policy 41
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 174Paragraph 180Paragraph 60Paragraph 110Paragraph 111Paragraph 167Paragraph 211
How the Inspector dealt with each one is set out in the app, in order: the development plan, national policy, housing land supply, other considerations and the planning balance, beside the letter.
See how each was appliedThe decision letter
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With an account
What an account adds to this decision
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The main issues, what decided it, the planning balance and the policies and judgments listed as cited are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro and are our summary, not the Inspector’s words; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.