Land to the south of Wagtail Lane, Craghead, DH7 0DT

the installation of a ground mounted photovoltaic solar development, electrical substation and associated infrastructure

Authority: Durham County Council
Appeal type: Planning
Procedure: Written
Development: utilities-energy
Postcode: DH7 0DT

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

the effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area
the recreational value of the area, with specific regard to walkers and equestrian activities

What decided it

The significant weight given to the proposal's contribution to mitigating climate change and achieving net zero targets, combined with substantial biodiversity net gain and economic benefits, outweighed the moderate harm to character and appearance and limited harm to recreational value.

Framework references: 11, 57, 105, 161, 168, 187, 200

Plan policies cited: County Durham Plan Policy 10, County Durham Plan Policy 26, County Durham Plan Policy 31, County Durham Plan Policy 33, County Durham Plan Policy 35, County Durham Plan Policy 39, County Durham Plan Policy 44

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.