Land South West of Station Road, West Rainton ADDRESS

+ Planning Services COMMITTEE REPORT APPLICATION DETAILS APPLICATION NO: CMA/4/112 Residential development of up to 150 dwellings, small scale community hub comprising use classes A1 and/or A2, A3, A4 and A5 of up to 950sq.m. and FULL APPLICATION use class D1 of up to 950 sq.m. with open space, DESCRIPTION : hard and soft landscaping, associated infrastructure and off site highway improvements (outline, all matters reserved except access). Tees Valley Housing NAME OF APPLICANT : Land south west of Station Road, West Rainton ADDRESS : Sherburn ELECTORAL DIVISION : Ann Rawlinson, Senior Planning Officer CASE OFFICER : 03000 261393 [email protected] DESCRIPTION OF THE SITE AND PROPOSALS The Site 1. The application site comprises approximately 11.35 hectares of agricultural land bordered by hedgerows to the south western edge of West Rainton, abutting Station Road. To the north west of the site is the east coast mainline and the adjoining settlement of Leamside, to the south west is agricultural land and to the south east is the A690, leading to Durham and Sunderland. The site is triangular in shape extending from Rainton Gate/Lambton View to the east, down to Leamside to its western side, with the site sloping from east to west. The eastern/south eastern boundary is lower than the existing 3 storey properties at Rainton Gate which back onto the site. Off-site the ground slopes to the south allowing views towards Durham. 2. A public right of way extends through the centre of the site, along a raised field line from Station Road to the north into the agricultural fields and a wooded area to the south, connecting to a network of routes to the south and west. The existing landscape includes hedgerows to the south east corner. There are occasional small trees and bushes along the field line and also along the grass verge alongside Station Road. 3. West Rainton is located approximately 6.9km to the north east of Durham city centre and approximately 2.5km to the south east of Houghton-le-Spring. It is situated 1.5km to the southwest of the Sunderland City administrative boundary. The surrounding area is predominantly agricultural and residential, with supporting community facilities scattered through the village. As set out in the City of Durham Local Plan, the site is beyond the identified settlement boundary, which is defined by Station Road, and is situated directly to the north/east of the Durham Green Belt. The site is located to the north and east of an area of landscape value and to the northeast of a site of nature conservation importance. There are 4 designated heritage assets located within 1km of the site. The site itself contains no heritage assets, landscape or ecological designations. The Proposal 4. The application is for outline planning permission with all matters, except access, reserved for consideration at a later date. An illustrative master plan has been submitted to support the application which sets out how the applicant intends to develop the design ethos of the scheme. The application seeks approval in principle for the following elements: • Up to 150 residential dwellings comprising 3 (20%), 4, and 5 bedroomed detached and semi-detached houses; • 20% affordable housing (30no.) with 75% social rented and 25% intermediate housing comprising 15 no. bungalows suitable for older people; • 950sq.m of use classes A1 (shops) and/or A2 (financial and professional services), A3 (cafe/restaurant) A4 (pub), or A5 (hot food takeaway); • 950 sq.m. of use class D1 (non-residential uses, potentially a new or relocated doctors surgery and/or community facilities); • A ‘landscape-led’ design approach focusing on a core concept of ‘green fingers’ running throughout the scheme incorporating; open amenity green space, semi-natural green space, informal play space, perimeter landscaping belts, hedgerows and tree planting; • Pond features (SUDS); • Off-site highway improvements. 5. Vehicular access would be taken into the site in two locations off Station Road to the north of the site, approximately one third and two thirds down the site from east to west. Pedestrian access would be taken at these points also. The access point to the north west has been moved slightly southwest during the course of consideration of the application. An existing footpath through the centre of the site from Station Road would be retained. 6. The off-site highway works proposed are; improvements to the Chantry Place/Station Road junction: a signalised junction at the A691/ Chantry Way which would include a pedestrian facility and necessitate narrowing of the central reserve (east side) and potential widening of the High Street/ A691 Carrville junction (subject to further junction modelling outcome). 7. The application has been amended from 250 dwellings to 150 dwellings after concerns were raised by officers regarding the appropriateness of 250 additional houses to the role, function, scale and character of West Rainton as a settlement. 8. The application is reported to the County Planning Committee as it represents major development with a site area of more than 4 hectares. PLANNING HISTORY 9. Planning permission was granted at appeal for residential development in 1991 and the permission renewed by the Durham City Council in 1994 and again in 1997 but was never implemented and so has lapsed. Permission was granted as Durham City did not have a favourable housing land supply at the time. In 2000 a detailed planning application for 193 dwellings was refused by the Durham City Council because of the greenfield nature of the site rather than it being a brownfield site and its incursion into the open countryside. A subsequent application for 308 dwellings in 2002 was withdrawn. PLANNING POLICY NATIONAL POLICY 10. The Government has consolidated all planning policy statements, guidance notes and many circulars into a single policy statement, the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The overriding message is that new development that is sustainable should go ahead without delay. It defines the role of planning in achieving sustainable development under three topic headings – economic, social and environmental, each mutually dependant. The presumption in favour of sustainable development set out in the NPPF requires local planning authorities to approach development management decisions positively, utilising twelve ‘core planning principles’. 11. In accordance with paragraph 215 of the National Planning Policy Framework, the weight to be attached to relevant saved local plan policy will depend upon the degree of consistency with the NPPF. The greater the consistency, the greater the weight. The relevance of this issue is discussed, where appropriate, in the assessment section of the report. The following elements of the NPPF are considered relevant to this proposal: 12. NPPF Part 1 – Building a strong, competitive economy . The Government is committed to securing economic growth in order to create jobs and prosperity, building on the country’s inherent strengths, and to meeting the twin challenges of global competition and a low carbon future. 13. NPPF Part 4 – Promoting sustainable transport. Transport policies have an important role to play in facilitating sustainable development but also in contributing to wider sustainability and health objectives. Smarter use of technologies can reduce the need to travel. The transport system should be balanced in favour of sustainable transport modes. Encouragement should be given to solutions which support reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and reduce congestion. 14. NPPF Part 2 – Ensuring the vitality of town centres. Town centres are recognised as being at the heart of communities, with the pursuit of their viability and vitality as being paramount. Planning applications for main town centre uses should be located in town centres firstly, then in edge of centre locations. Only when these are not available should out of centre locations be considered. 15. NPPF Part 6 – Delivering a wide choice of high quality homes . To boost significantly the supply of housing, applications should be considered in the context of the presumption in favour of sustainable development. Local Planning Authorities should seek to deliver a wide choice of high quality homes, widen opportunities for home ownership and create inclusive and mixed communities. 16. NPPF Part 7 – Requiring Good Design . The Government attaches great importance to the design of the built environment, with good design a key aspect of sustainable development, indivisible from good planning. Planning policies and decisions must aim to ensure developments; function well and add to the overall quality of an area over the lifetime of the development, establish a strong sense of place, create and sustain an appropriate mix of uses, respond to local character and history, create safe and accessible environments and be visually attractive. 17. NPPF Part 8 – Promoting Healthy Communities . The planning system can play an important role in facilitating social interaction and creating healthy, inclusive communities. Developments should be safe and accessible; Local Planning Authorities should plan positively for the provision and use of shared space, local services and community facilities to enhance the sustainability of community and residential environments. An integrated approach to consider the location of housing, economic uses and services should be adopted. 18. NPPF Part 10 – Meeting the challenge of climate change, flooding and coastal change.

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