The County Planning Committee was scheduled to meet on Wednesday 5 November 2025, to discuss several planning applications. These included applications for housing developments in Brandon, Ushaw Moor and Spennymoor, a retail development in St Helen Auckland, and a cable installation in Barnard Castle. The committee was also scheduled to review the minutes from their special meeting on 20 October 2025¹.

Land North-East Of Glaxo, Harmire Road, Barnard Castle

An application for the installation of an underground cable and associated infrastructure to connect a solar farm (ref: DM/23/02510/FPA) and GSK, Barnard Castle was scheduled to be discussed. The proposed cable would run for approximately 550m to connect the approved solar farm to the GSK factory, and would be laid underground. The Director of Legal and Democratic Services, Helen Bradley, noted in the report pack that the solar farm is designed to provide around 52% of the factory's energy demand, and that the solar farm would replace the wind turbines apparent on site.

Land At Red Barns, Brandon

A hybrid application for land at Red Barns, Brandon was scheduled to be discussed. The application included full planning permission for the construction of 140 dwellings, primary site access, associated Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems² (SuDS) and landscaping. It also included outline planning permission, with all matters reserved, for the construction of up to 260 dwellings, a local centre incorporating retail (up to 4,000 sqft) (Use Class E³) and a mini-mobility hub, and associated SuDS and landscaping. The applicants were named in the report pack as Barratt Homes North East; and The Trustees of the Lady Eira Winifred Evans Bevans 1990 Settlement for the Lord Leslie Rothes; and The Trustees of the Lady Eira Winifred Evans Bevans 1990 Settlement for the Honourable Alexander George Leslie Rothes.

Land To The South Of Cockhouse Lane, Ushaw Moor

The committee was scheduled to discuss an application for the erection of 158 homes with associated landscaping and infrastructure on land to the south of Cockhouse Lane, Ushaw Moor. The applicant was named in the report pack as Miller Homes.

Whitworth Park Phase 6, Spennymoor

The construction of 299 dwellings with access from Allerton Way and associated parking, roads, infrastructure, landscaping and SuDS at Whitworth Park Phase 6, Spennymoor was scheduled to be discussed. The applicant was named in the report pack as Barratt David Wilson Homes North East.

Land West Of Unit 18, Bishop Auckland Retail Park, St Helen Auckland

The erection of Class E(a) retail units⁴ with access, car parking, servicing, bin stores, sprinkler tanks, hard and soft landscaping and other associated works at land west of Unit 18, Bishop Auckland Retail Park, St Helen Auckland, was scheduled to be discussed. The applicant was named in the report pack as Fieldon Bridge Developments Limited.