The Area Planning Committee (South and West) met to consider planning applications in the Durham area. The committee was scheduled to review an application to convert a residential property into a children's home, and another to expand a caravan site.

Change of Use to Children's Home in Crook

The committee was scheduled to consider an application for a change of use at Applegarth, New Road, Crook, from a residential dwelling (Use Class C3¹) to a children's home (Use Class C2²). The applicant, Mr Oliver Knowles of Karoo Group Limited, also requested permission for the demolition of the existing garage, an enlarged parking area, and associated internal and external alterations.

The application was brought to the committee at the request of Councillor Robbie Roddis, who raised concerns about highway safety, residential amenity, fear of crime, community cohesion, and the number of similar establishments in the DL15 postcode area. Councillor Roddis also questioned whether there was a need for another such project in Crook.

According to the planning report, 31 letters of objection had been received, raising concerns about:

• Principle of the Development/Residential Amenity/Social Cohesion Objectors stated that the proposal could increase anti-social behaviour, that the location was unsuitable for vulnerable children due to crime in the area, and that the day-to-day running of a children's home would affect neighbours due to shift work and cars arriving and leaving at all times.
• Visual Impact Concerns were raised that demolishing the garage and expanding hardstanding for parking would reduce green space and harm the visual amenity of the area, and that external CCTV and lighting would further institutionalise the appearance of the property.
• Highway Safety Extra parking pressure, intensification of the use of the driveway, overflow parking on New Road, and light pollution/intrusion from car headlights exiting the site were all cited as potential highway safety issues.
• Ecology Impacts Objectors noted the presence of bats and a Tawny Owl in the vicinity, and worried that they may be disturbed or threatened by the proposed alterations.

Joy Allen, Police and Crime Commissioner for Durham and Darlington, also objected to the application, citing concerns about children being placed mainly from out of the area, the amount of police resources this takes up responding to children reported missing from these homes, and community concerns linked to increases in crime and anti-social behaviour.

The planning report noted that Durham County Council has a duty, as stated in section 22G of the Children Act 1989, to take steps to secure, as far as reasonably practicable, sufficient accommodation for looked after children within their local authority area. The report also noted that the Council's Children and Young Peoples Services (CYPS) team had confirmed that smaller homes and specifically solo provision are required in Durham in line with the Council's current sufficiency strategy.

The planning officer's report stated that the proposal was considered to broadly comply with the criteria identified within Policy 18 of the County Durham Plan (CDP) and that the principle of the proposal was considered acceptable. The report recommended that the application be approved subject to conditions.

Expansion of Thorpe Farm Caravan Site

The committee was also scheduled to discuss an application for the change of use of land and to extend Thorpe Farm Caravan Site, Greta Bridge, DL12 9TY. The applicant, Paul Barkes, requested permission for the siting of 54 static caravan pitches, 14 touring caravan pitches, 24 pods, hard and soft landscaping, drainage infrastructure, and associated works.

The planning report noted that the application site is located immediately to the north of the existing Thorpe Farm Centre and Holiday Park, a well-established tourist attraction that includes a farm shop, gift shop, café, restaurant, camping caravan and holiday lodge accommodation, as well as an animal rescue centre and a wetland nature reserve. The site is within a designated Area of High Landscape Value (AHLV), and within the catchment area of the internationally designated Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast Special Protection Area and Ramsar site.

According to the planning report, three letters of objection had been received, including one from the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) Durham. The objectors raised concerns about:

• Principle Objectors questioned whether the proposal met identified visitor needs, as Policy 8 requires, arguing that static caravans appeal more to local people than tourists. They also stated that there was no evidence to support that the proposal would be financially sound.
• Design and Landscape Concerns were raised that the extension was too large for the area, that it represented an intrusion into the countryside, and that it would not conserve or enhance the special qualities of the landscape.
• Heritage Objectors stated that the proposal would cause harm to the setting of both Rokeby Park (including Mortham Tower) and the Greta Bridge Conservation Area.
• Ecology Concerns were raised that no survey was carried out to ascertain what species are present at the site, and that no assessment of Biodiversity Net Gain had been submitted.

The planning report stated that the proposals would see the introduction of additional static caravans, along with touring caravan pitches and pods which have been included to help attract visitors from further away and outside the county, with such visitors likely to spend more in the local economy during their visit. The report also stated that the proposals would achieve a biodiversity net gain in excess of 10%.

The planning officer's report stated that the benefits of the development were considered to outweigh the harm and recommended that the application be approved, subject to conditions.