Believe Housing affordable homes to be built in Newton Hall

Local developer Believe Housing’s application to redevelop land in Newton Hall, near Durham, was approved by Durham County Council’s planning committee on Tuesday. 

The development will replace the former properties at the site on a one-for-one basis, meaning there will be no increase in the number of homes on the site.

New properties due to be built as part of the estate include three two-bedroom bungalows, 10 two-bedroom houses, six three-bedroom houses and three four-bedroom houses. All 22 properties will be designated as affordable housing.

Mark Wilkes, Liberal Democrat member for Framwellgate and Newton Hall, praised the plans and thanked the housing developer for listening to local concerns around parking. 

Access to the development will be from Farnham Road, with each home provided with off-street parking.

In its planning statement, Believe Housing said the scheme would replace outdated housing with “attractive affordable homes” while helping to meet housing demand across County Durham.

It said: “The proposed development of 22 dwellings would provide a sustainable community that is responsive to local character and community aspirations, whilst being fully policy-compliant and contributing to Durham’s county-wide housing targets, particularly through the provision of 100 per cent affordable dwellings.”

Believe Housing said the redevelopment would improve parking, as existing residents previously relied on on-street spaces.

“The current parking situation at the site is that all vehicles have to park on the street, whereas the proposed development will be significantly improved by providing in-curtilage off-street parking spaces for all properties,” the statement added.

Additional visitor parking bays are also proposed to help ease pressure on nearby roads.

Councillors unanimously approved the planning application at Tuesday’s committee meeting.