Land to the south of Greenways Court, Greenways, Delves Lane, CONSETT, DH8 7DH

an outline application (with access) for up to 32 no. affordable residential units and 8 no. self-build/custom build plots (all other matters reserved)

Authority: Durham County Council
Appeal type: major · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Major dwellings
Inspector: Dean S

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

whether or not the proposal would cause an unacceptable loss of open space
whether or not there is a need for the level of affordable housing proposed

What decided it

The unacceptable loss of valued open space with significant recreational value and contribution to local character, which could not be adequately mitigated or compensated for, outweighed the benefits of housing delivery.

the benefits of housing delivery, including affordable housing, were outweighed by the unacceptable loss of valued open space and green infrastructure protected in local and national policy

Plan policies cited: Policy 6, Policy 15, Policy 26, Policy 29, Policy 31

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.