Planning appeal decision
Former Hallgarth Care Home, Hallgarth Street, Durham, County Durham, DH1 3AY
Planning appeal 3376424 at Former Hallgarth Care Home, Hallgarth Street, Durham, County Durham, DH1 3AY (Durham County Council) was allowed on 7 May 2026 by Inspector Livingstone C, following a hearing. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The effect of the proposed purpose built student accommodation (PBSA) on the objective of creating, or maintaining, a mixed and balanced community, having regard to the policies in the development plan.
conversion of a former care home to purpose built student accommodation (PBSA) including re-roofing of conservatories; cycle shelter; bin store; EV bays and associated works
- Authority
- Durham County Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Hearing
- Development
- residential · Change of use
- Inspector
- Livingstone C
- Postcode
- DH1 3AY
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The effect of the proposed purpose built student accommodation (PBSA) on the objective of creating, or maintaining, a mixed and balanced community, having regard to the policies in the development plan.
What decided it
The Inspector concluded that a need for the type of PBSA proposed, particularly accessible and neurodivergent-supportive bedspaces, had been demonstrated, satisfying Policy 16 Part 2 criteria a) and removing conflict with the development plan's mixed and balanced community objective.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy 16Policy 2Policy 29
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.
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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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