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Contents Foreword 4 1 Introduction 6 Stages of Local Plan Preparation and Next Steps 7 How do I get involved? 7 Neighbourhood Plans 8 Assessing Impacts 9 Duty to Cooperate: Cross-Boundary Issues 10 Monitoring 10 2 What the County Durham Plan is seeking to Achieve 11 3 Vision and Objectives 14 Delivering Sustainable Development 17 General Development Principles 19 Policy 1 - General Development Principles 19 4 How Much Development and Where 22 Quantity of Development (How Much) 22 Policy 2 - Quantity of Development 22 Spatial Distribution of Development (Where) 30 Distribution of Employment 30 Policy 3 - Employment Land 30 Policy 4 - Aykley Heads 38 Distribution of Housing 43 Policy 5 - Housing Allocations 47 Policy 6 - Durham City's Sustainable Urban Extensions 61 Policy 7 - Development on Unallocated Sites in the Built Up Area 68 County Durham Plan Preferred Options Contents 5 Core Principles 70 Building a strong competitive economy 71 Durham University 71 Visitor Economy Introduction 72 Policy 8 - Visitor Attractions 73 Policy 9 - Visitor Accommodation 75 Ensuring the vitality of town centres 77 Policy 10 - Retail Hierarchy and Town Centre Development 78 Supporting a prosperous rural economy 84 Policy 11 - Development in the Countryside 85 Policy 12 - Rural Housing and Employment Exception Sites 89 Policy 13 - Permanent Rural Workers’ Dwellings 91 Policy 14 - Equestrian Development 93 Policy 15 - Best and Most Versatile Agricultural Land and Soil Resources 95 Delivering a wide choice of high quality homes 97 Policy 16 - Addressing Housing Need 97 Policy 17 - Durham University Development, Purpose Built Student 104 Accommodation and Houses in Multiple Occupation Policy 18 - Sites for Travellers 115 Policy 19 - Children's Homes 117 Policy 20 - Type and Mix of Housing 119 Protecting Green Belt land 122 Policy 21 - Green Belt 123 Policy 22 - Non-Strategic Green Belt Amendments 125 Delivering Sustainable Transport 127 Policy 23 - Delivering Sustainable Transport 128 Policy 24 - Durham City Sustainable Transport 132 Policy 25 - Allocating and Safeguarding Transport Routes and Facilities 138 Policy 26 - Provision of Transport Infrastructure 141 Supporting high quality infrastructure 143 Policy 27 - Developer Contributions 144 Policy 28 - Green Infrastructure 146 Policy 29 - Utilities, Telecommunications and Other Broadcast Infrastructure 148 Policy 30 - Safeguarded Areas 151 Requiring good design 154 Policy 31 - Sustainable Design in the Built Environment 154 Promoting healthy communities 158 Policy 32 - Hot Food Takeaways 158 Policy 33 - Amenity and Pollution 160 Policy 34 - Despoiled, Degraded, Derelict, Contaminated and Unstable Land 164 Meeting the challenge of climate change, flooding and coastal change 166 Policy 35 - Renewable and Low Carbon Energy 167 Policy 36 - Wind Turbine Development 169 Policy 37 - Water Management 174 Policy 38 - Water Infrastructure 176 Policy 39 - Durham Coast and Heritage Coast 180 Conserving and enhancing the natural and historic environment 183 Policy 40 - North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty 184 Policy 41 - Landscape Character 186 County Durham Plan Preferred Options Contents Policy 42 - Trees, Woodlands and Hedges 190 Policy 43 - Biodiversity and Geodiversity 193 Policy 44 - Internationally Designated Sites 195 Policy 45 - Protected Species and Nationally and Locally Protected Sites 198 Policy 46 - Historic Environment 201 Policy 47 - Durham Cathedral and Castle World Heritage Site 205 Policy 48 - Stockton and Darlington Railway 208 Minerals and Waste 209 Policy 49 - Sustainable Minerals and Waste Resource Management 212 Policy 50 - Safeguarding Minerals Sites, Minerals Related Infrastructure and 214 Waste Management Sites Policy 51 - Meeting the Need for Primary Aggregates 217 Policy 52 - Brickmaking Raw Materials 229 Policy 53 - Surface Mined Coal and Fireclay 232 Policy 54 - Natural Building and Roofing Stone 235 Policy 55 - Reopening of Relic Natural Building and Roofing Stone Quarries 238 Policy 56 - Safeguarding Mineral Resources 239 Policy 57 - The Conservation and Use of High Grade Mineral Resources 241 Policy 58 - Preferred Area for Future Carboniferous Limestone Working 243 Policy 59 - Strategic Area of Search to the South of Todhills Brickworks 245 Providing for Waste Management Capacity 246 Policy 60 - Waste Management Provision 246 Policy 61 - Location of New Waste Facilities 251 Appendices A Strategic Policies 254 B Coal Mining Risk Assessments and Mineral Assessments 255 C Safeguarding Mineral Resources and Safeguarded Minerals and Waste Sites 259 D Glossary of Terms 275 County Durham Plan Preferred Options County Durham Plan Preferred Options Foreword It’s been just over a year since I took over as Cabinet member for regeneration and economic development and in that time I have experienced first-hand the many issues and opportunities that exist for the county. Austerity has certainly had an impact on some of our more deprived communities and in particular welfare reform and changes to housing benefits. Like the rest of the country we are seeing increasing demands on public services - and the pressure this places on our communities - an ageing population and significant changes in our local economy with high street banks, shops and pubs struggling. However there is much to be positive about in County Durham. I have spoken to businesses, developers and investors who are bringing forward exciting and significant opportunities, creating much needed jobs and training for our residents. But even better is that we’re seeing this right across our county with Auckland Trust’s exciting developments in Bishop Auckland including the world class event at Kynren, the opening of Forest Park at Newton Aycliffe, investment at the former Hawthorn Pit now renamed Jade at Murton and the exciting opportunities resulting from a new approach at Integra 61 at Bowburn to name just a few. Durham City is currently undergoing one of its biggest transformations for many generations. The developments on the riverside will provide new destinations for the city adding to the already fantastic offer available. This will include bringing new cinemas and restaurants to Durham along with city centre living and offices, as well as the jobs that they create. The growth of the university is something I believe will have many positive impacts bringing new businesses, increasing entrepreneurship and enhancing our research and development and scientific base. The council itself is in the process of moving its headquarters from Aykley Heads giving the opportunity for what is seen as a once in a generation opportunity to create a new high-tech business park that we hope will eventually create up to 6,000 jobs. But it’s vital that we continue to appreciate that this is a small city and any development must be of the highest quality, fit into Durham’s environment and not impact on what makes the city special. I therefore think the County Durham Plan (the Plan) we are presenting takes us a long way in delivering on some of the key issues I hear from our residents. Delivering not just more jobs but better paid jobs with better prospects and providing the homes across the county that will meet the needs of our residents as well as their aspirations. Importantly it seeks to build on the current pipeline of investment into the county which is estimated at over £3 billion and ensure that the confidence is there to deliver these improvements for the benefit of residents of County Durham. The Plan also seeks to ensure that the needs of our rural communities are met, Brexit presents uncertainty right across our county but no more so than in our farming communities. We therefore have flexible polices and encouragement for all businesses to develop, recognising in particular the opportunities that the increasing visitor economy will have in the future. Infrastructure is a key element of the Plan and we need to ensure that together with the new homes we get the necessary education, health and social provision as well as improved transport links. One of the county’s biggest selling points, apart from its people, is the quality of place and life. Our coast, our dales, Durham City and the Cathedral and our landscape are all assets which we need to continue to protect and enhance. While the plan should not be seen as the answer to all of our problems, it seeks to create the conditions and the framework for an ambitious and deliverable future for our residents and businesses. 4 County Durham Plan Preferred Options County Durham Plan Preferred Options I am therefore extremely pleased to support the plan which offers significant hope to our young people, more support for our older people and confidence to our businesses. All whilst protecting and enhancing the environment in which we live. But it’s vital that you let us know what you think, The Plan looks forward to 2035 so we are asking you to help shape the future of the county for you and your community. Cllr Carl Marshall County Durham Plan Preferred Options 5 County Durham Plan Preferred Options 1 Introduction 1.1 A local plan seeks to guide the future development of a place to improve the lives of its existing and future residents. We therefore need a local plan that meets the differing needs of our communities. The county has seen some successful regeneration in the past but our overall economy is the weakest in the North East, itself the poorest performing economy in England. We therefore need an ambitious local plan that promotes quality of life, provides jobs for a flexible and skilled workforce, protects and enhances our special environment and supports our towns and villages. 1.2 Without a local plan, development including housing, will still happen given the context of a growing population and a national housing shortage. The County Durham Plan will therefore give us the ability to guide and direct where it goes and what it looks like. 1.3 This is the second stage of consultation on the Plan which will provide the policy framework for the county up to 2035 to support the development of a thriving economy so that our residents can experience the benefits that ensue as a result.
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