Land West Of 31 To 32 Church Street, Coundon, County Durham, DL14 8PJ

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• Whether the location of the development is acceptable with particular reference to the development plan
• The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area
• The effect of the proposal on highway safety, with specific reference to access and parking
• Whether the proposal would deliver Biodiversity Net Gain
• Whether the proposed houses and surrounding area would be safe from flooding
• Whether future occupiers of the proposed development would be at unacceptable risk from land instability
• Whether the proposal makes adequate provision for affordable housing and any additional need for open space and health facilities arising from the development

What decided it

The proposal's location outside the built-up area and settlement boundary, representing unacceptable development in the open countryside contrary to the development plan, combined with unresolved issues on highway safety, drainage, ground stability, and character harm, outweighed the benefits of housing delivery and affordable housing provision.

The benefits of market housing delivery, affordable housing provision (subject to legal resolution), economic benefits during construction, and 100% M4(2) dwellings collectively carried significant weight but were insufficient to overcome the harm to character and appearance, highway safety concerns, unresolved drainage and ground stability risks, and the statutory presumption in favour of the development plan.