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Dismissed16 June 20266006838

Far Place, Sidehead, Westgate, Bishop Auckland, DL13 1LE

Planning appeal 6006838 at Far Place, Sidehead, Westgate, Bishop Auckland, DL13 1LE (Durham County Council) was dismissed on 16 June 2026 by Inspector Darren Hendley, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effect on the character and appearance of the area, including the North Pennines National Landscape.

the siting of ground mounted solar panels, together with the associated creation of hardstanding

Authority
Durham County Council
Appeal type
Planning
Procedure
Written
Development
utilities-energy
Inspector
Darren Hendley
Postcode
DL13 1LE

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • the effect on the character and appearance of the area, including the North Pennines National Landscape
  • the effect on the recreational use of the Public Right of Way
  • whether the proposal would accord with the development plan with regard to development in the countryside
  • if there is harm, whether this is outweighed by the benefits of the proposal

What decided it

The unacceptable effect on the character and appearance of the North Pennines National Landscape, which attracts very significant weight against the proposal and is not outweighed by the renewable energy and operational benefits.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy 10Policy 29Policy 31Policy 33Policy 38Policy 39
National Planning Policy Framework
Paragraph 12Paragraph 15Paragraph 189

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 applied

The decision letter

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More decisions in Durham County Council

The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2026

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  3. Dismissed16 September 20266005969
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  4. Dismissed16 September 20266004850
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  5. Dismissed16 September 20266004494
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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.

In the app this decision sits on the map beside every appeal around it, with its letter to read and the main issues, policies and judgments cited picked out.