Planning appeal decision
Land Adjacent to 22 Tollgate Road, Hamsterley Mill, Rowlands Gill, Tyne and Wear, NE39 1HF
Planning appeal 3350825 at Land Adjacent to 22 Tollgate Road, Hamsterley Mill, Rowlands Gill, Tyne and Wear, NE39 1HF (Durham County Council) was dismissed on 11 February 2025 by Inspector Lancaster K, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the host property and surrounding area.
a two storey, detached dwelling house
- Authority
- Durham County Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Lancaster K
- Postcode
- NE39 1HF
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the host property and surrounding area
What decided it
The proposed development would harm the character and appearance of the host property and surrounding area by reducing the spacious plot sizes that characterise Hamsterley Mill and disrupting the transition between residential properties and the neighbouring woodland.
The limited social, economic and environmental benefits of a single dwelling were outweighed by the harm to character and appearance and conflict with the development plan
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy 6(d) of the County Durham PlanPolicy 29 of the County Durham PlanPolicy 39 of the County Durham Plan
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
Town Planner Pro holds this letter. The Appeals plan opens it and every other letter we hold, all of them searchable, with the main issues and what decided each case picked out. We do not show letters on the free site because they carry people’s names and addresses.
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.
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