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| The B1281 in Blackhall looking east towards St Joseph's and the coast, with the proposed development site to the right |
Since then we have had the opportunity to consider the proposals, along with the comments submitted by local residents and businesses as part of the statutory consultation process, and we have now written to the county council's planning department setting out our own views on the plans.
We fully agree with the clear majority of people and businesses who made representations and felt that a development of this nature would bring a number of benefits to our village in terms of regeneration, sustainability and meeting housing need. Consequently we are broadly in support of the developer's proposals.
Naturally the safety of our residents is of paramount importance so we have noted one or two matters that we think need to be addressed before the development is allowed to proceed and we have raised these points as part of our submission.
We have published below a complete transcript of our comments as submitted to the council's planning department:
Planning application: DM/16/03450/OUT: Erection of up to 97 dwellings on land to the west of Blackhall cemetery and south of Hesleden Road, Blackhall Colliery
Comments of Cllr Rob Crute and Cllr Lynn Pounder
Having considered the comments submitted by local
residents and businesses we are supportive of the proposal to erect up to 97
dwellings on land as identified in the planning application and we offer no
specific objections providing the comments below are taken into consideration.
We note that there is considerable support from
residents and businesses in and around Blackhall, mostly in terms of
regeneration, potential investment, sustainability, housing choice and job
creation.
Many positive comments have been submitted as
part of the statutory consultation exercise and we have also been made aware of
general support from other sources, including those made at local ward
surgeries and through social media. Most comments suggest that a development of this
nature is needed to meet local housing demand and also to sustain the
businesses and other services in the village and the surrounding area.
We agree with many of those comments supporting
the proposal and we feel that this development will offer a greater choice of
housing type to the village and will also open up the local housing market to give
younger families from the village an opportunity to settle in their own
community rather than migrate to other towns and villages. We also welcome the
job opportunities proposed as part of the development proposals.
We note that the number of properties proposed
would be useful in sustaining businesses and services in and around Blackhall.
We also note that there is sufficient capacity in our local schools to
accommodate children from the proposed development. We see this as a welcome
opportunity to both strengthen and sustain the schools in our ward.
We also note those comments less supportive of
the plans including those relating to loss of view, impact on local property
values (which we acknowledge is not a material planning consideration), road
safety and risk of flooding.
In urging the planning authority to approve the
development we would ask that the following points be taken into consideration:
We note
that there have been flooding and drainage problems in and around the development
site and we believe that a proven and effective flood management plan is
essential to ensure that flood risk is eliminated as far as possible before
construction commences.
We are aware of concerns about speeding vehicles and an associated risk of traffic and pedestrian accidents on the stretch of the B1281 between Hesleden and Blackhall Colliery which runs along the northern edge of the development site. We share those concerns and we recognise the potential effect that access and egress at the development site might have in terms of increased risk of accidents. We believe it is essential that appropriate traffic calming and speed reduction measures are considered and imposed prior to approval.
We note the statutory consultee comments relating to the lack of public rights of way (PROWs) in and around the development site, and the impact this might have for access onto housing at the site following completion. We support the comments and proposals of Monk Hesleden Parish Council in this regard.
As part of the exhibition/open day held in the village to gauge initial public opinion on the development proposals (separate to the formal public consultation exercise) we questioned the need for 5-bedroom properties as included in the plans and we were given assurances that the construction of those larger properties would be removed from the proposals to be replaced by a proportionate number of bungalows, to be constructed to the eastern side of the site. We feel that this would help to both meet clear demand in the village for bungalows, and also offer an opportunity to mitigate the visual impact of the development on existing properties to the east of the development site. As such we feel that the commitment to construct bungalows as part of the development must be binding (although we acknowledge that this point may be more appropriately made at the reserved matters element of the planning process).
Cllr Rob Crute and Cllr Lynn Pounder
Blackhall Division
Durham County Council
We are aware of concerns about speeding vehicles and an associated risk of traffic and pedestrian accidents on the stretch of the B1281 between Hesleden and Blackhall Colliery which runs along the northern edge of the development site. We share those concerns and we recognise the potential effect that access and egress at the development site might have in terms of increased risk of accidents. We believe it is essential that appropriate traffic calming and speed reduction measures are considered and imposed prior to approval.
We note the statutory consultee comments relating to the lack of public rights of way (PROWs) in and around the development site, and the impact this might have for access onto housing at the site following completion. We support the comments and proposals of Monk Hesleden Parish Council in this regard.
As part of the exhibition/open day held in the village to gauge initial public opinion on the development proposals (separate to the formal public consultation exercise) we questioned the need for 5-bedroom properties as included in the plans and we were given assurances that the construction of those larger properties would be removed from the proposals to be replaced by a proportionate number of bungalows, to be constructed to the eastern side of the site. We feel that this would help to both meet clear demand in the village for bungalows, and also offer an opportunity to mitigate the visual impact of the development on existing properties to the east of the development site. As such we feel that the commitment to construct bungalows as part of the development must be binding (although we acknowledge that this point may be more appropriately made at the reserved matters element of the planning process).
Cllr Rob Crute and Cllr Lynn Pounder
Blackhall Division
Durham County Council
