Land south of The Rowans, Pittington Road, Rainton Gate, HOUGHTON LE SPRING, DH5 9RG

Outline Planning Application with all matters reserved for the construction of 2no. dwellings (Use Class C3), with associated landscaping and ancillary development

Authority: Durham County Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Minor Dwellings
Inspector: English D

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

whether the development amounts to inappropriate development in the Green Belt, having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and any relevant development plan policies
the effect of the development on the openness of the Green Belt
the effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area
whether any harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to justify the development

What decided it

The proposal is inappropriate development in the Green Belt that would cause substantial harm to openness and character, and this harm is not clearly outweighed by other considerations, so very special circumstances do not exist.

Framework references: 149, 150

Plan policies cited: Policy 20, Policy 6, Policy 10, Policy 29

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

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.

What an account adds

Draw a red line around your site and the appraisal follows.

Heritage. Listed buildings by grade and distance, conservation areas, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, heritage at risk.
Landscape and environment. Green belt, national parks and national landscapes, SSSIs, ancient woodland, SPA, SAC and Ramsar sites, nutrient catchments.
Flooding. Flood zones 2 and 3, surface water, and both again with climate change.
Transport. The 800 metre station catchment and service frequency, bus stops with their weekday frequency, the cycle network, and the Framework’s transport tests measured for the site.

Then the development plan position, the housing land supply as an Inspector last accepted it, and every appeal decided around the site with its letter.

Every English appeal since 2016, with the letter behind it wherever the Inspectorate published one. Searched by meaning as well as by words, with the key case law counted live across the letters.

Casework that chases the deadlines. Applications, appeals and conditions with their statutory dates.

The judgement stays yours. The tool gathers the material and dates it.