Land to the rear of Attwood Terrace, Tudhoe Colliery, SPENNYMOOR, DL16 6TG

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area/countryside including the setting of the Tudhoe Village Conservation Area
• the effect of the loss of on-street car parking and the proposed access on the living conditions of existing residents
• the effect of the proposal on highway/pedestrian safety
• whether it would be possible to achieve a satisfactory surface water management system
• the effect of the development on ecology
• whether adequate provision would be made for affordable housing

What decided it

The significant harm to character and appearance caused by the introduction of large-scale suburban-style development into a linear terraced settlement pattern, combined with unresolved highway safety and parking impacts, meant the proposal conflicted with the development plan and no material considerations indicated the decision should be made otherwise.

The benefits of boosting housing supply (moderate weight), provision of six affordable homes (positive weight), construction employment (limited weight) and economic activity (limited weight) were outweighed by the significant harm to character and appearance, the countryside, and the living conditions of existing residents through loss of parking and highway safety impacts.