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Planning advice and guidance
Please also visit our planning homepage for general advice and information - Planning (Development Control) homepage.
Material Considerations
In determining all planning applications the Council is required by law to have regard to the Development Plan and other material considerations.
Material Considerations are derived from a number of sources such as PPGs, and would usually include all the fundamental factors in land use planning such as the number, size, layout, siting, design and external appearance of buildings and the proposed means of access, landscaping, impact on the neighbourhood and availability of infrastructure. You can find all relevant PPGs on the Portal Site.
Listed Buildings
A listed building is a building or structure which is considered to be of special architectural or historic interest. The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has a duty to include all such buildings on a statutory list which gives details of each building or structure. Once a building is listed consent is normally required for its demolition, in whole or in part, and for any internal or external works of alteration and extension which would affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest. There are over 800 listed buildings in the District of widely differing sizes and types.
More information can be viewed on the Heritage and Design Web Pages, or you may contact the Conservation Section on 0191 301 8726, 8727, or 8729.
The adopted Local Plan has policies relating to listed buildings, please visit their page via the link below.
Conservation Areas
A Conservation Area is an area which is designated as being of special architectural or historic interest and the Council has a statutory duty to preserve and enhance the appearance of those areas. There are currently 14 designated conservation areas in the City of Durham:
Durham (City Centre), Brancepeth, Sunderland Bridge, Brandon Village, Shadforth, Shincliffe, Hett, Bowburn, Sherburn, Hallgarth, Sherburn House, Burn Hall, Holywell and Old Cassop.
For more information on Conservation Areas contact the Heritage and Design Section or visit their web page by following the link below.
Tree Preservation Orders
Tree Preservation Orders are used to protect important trees of amenity or landscape value in the City from felling or damaging treatment. The Council will continue to designate them when necessary, and recognises the importance of trees, particularly in the urban environment. Trees within conservation areas already benefit from a degree of protection.
For more information on protected trees contact the Heritage & Design Section or visit their web page by following their link below.
Our adopted Local Plan also contains policies relevant to Tree Preservation Orders, you can visit the Local Plan page by following the link below.
Sites of Special Scientific Interest
There are currenlty 11 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) in the City. These are located at Brasside Pond, Butterby Oxbow, Cassop Vale, Crime Rigg Quarry, Pittington Hill, Quarrington Hill Grassland, Raisby Hill Grassland, Raisby Hill Quarry, Sherburn Hill, Town Kelloe Bank, and Trimdon Limestone Quarry.
The Council will require an Environmental Statement to be provided will all development proposals that are likely to affect an SSSI and will place considerable weight on the views of Natural England and other relevant bodies in assessing such proposals.
For more information on SSSIs please contact our Local Development Plans Office on 0191 301 8808, or email dmp@durhamcity.gov.uk. You can also visit their web page by following the link below the paragraph.
You can also see the location of these on the Local Plan Proposals Map, please follow the link below.
Contaminated Land
In its capacity as a local planning authority the Council has a duty to take account of all material considerations, including contaminated. If planning approval is granted, for development of a site where contamination is known or suspected, the authority will conclude a condition aimed at ensuring the site is safe for its intended use. Such a condition will not be discharged until the developer has provided sufficient evidence to show that the risk of significant harm from contamination either does not exist or has been removed.
For more information on how applications are considered, developers are encouraged to follow the link to Planning Policy Statement 23, below.
The Environment Agency also provides information and advice which may be of interest, please follow the link below.
Developers wishing to discuss matters relating to contaminated land should contact the Contaminated Land Officer by email, jwestgarth@durhamcity.gov.uk, or by phone, 0191 301 8798.
Article 4 Directions
Planning permission is necessary before any development can take place. There are exceptions to this general rule in the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 which lists classes of development which may be carried out without planning permission. These are known as permitted development rights, an application to the council for permission is not necessary.
However, under Article 4 of the Order, the council may effectively take away development rights within a specified area. They do this by making an Article 4 Direction. Once in force, any property within the area specified in the Direction will no longer enjoy the permitted development rights granted it by the General Development Order, so that development can only proceed once planning permission for it has been applied for and granted in the usual way.
Article 4 Directions, once made by the Council and approved by the Secretary of State are registrable as local land charges and will therefore appear in the Official Certificate of Search. See more about local alnd charges by following their link below.
There are few properties affected by an Article 4 Direction in the district, as follows:
Rokeby Villas, Woodwell House Farm, Arbour House Farm, Hett Mill - Broom Hill Quarry, Land at Pity Me Nursery.
For more information please contact us - details are at the bottom of this page.
Area of Special Advertisement Control
Areas of special advertisement control are made by Order of the Council and are approved by the Secretary of State. The proposal will define an area of special control where there are restrictions on the nature of advertisements that may be displayed. Please contact us on the phone or email as given at the bottom of this page, if you require further information.
Policies in the City of Durham Local Plan relating to advertisements may also be useful. Please see our Local Plan by following the link below.
Flood Risk
Flood risk is an important consideration at all stages of the planning process. The planning system should have regard to the management and reduction of flood risk in order to protect property and loss fo life. Detailed advice can be obtained via the links below and flood map from the Environmental Agency website.
Portal PPG25 (Note: links to external site)
Environment Agency (Note: links to external site)
Contact Details
For further information or specific help with information on this page, please contact us:
City of Durham Planning Department
Telephone: 0191 386 6111
E-Mail: devcontrol@durhamcity.gov.uk
In an emergency, outside of office hours, please call 0191 386 6111