Solicitors acting on behalf of the City of Durham Parish Council have written to the County Council to say that, if it were to approve the planning application for a new HQ building on The Sands on the basis of information currently before it, that decision would be unlawful.
This is because the proposal to build the new HQ on The Sands is an integral part of the much larger proposals for Aykley Heads. The accompanying Environmental Statement should have covered all of this. In not doing so it is inadequate and fails to meet both European and National regulations.
The lawyers also add that the proposals do not meet either National or Local plan policies. The consideration of traffic and air quality impacts is inadequate. The alternatives have not been properly considered, and the Council does not have enough information on which it can properly reach a decision.
The Parish Council decided to oppose the proposals at a special meeting on 5 September and lodged its first objection. The Full Council meeting on 27 September discussed this application further and unanimously decided to seek professional legal advice as to whether there are any grounds on which this planning application for the proposed new County HQ could be challenged. The Parish Council commissioned an experienced and well-established law firm in Richard Buxton Environmental and Public Law to provide the Council with legal advice.
“Our solicitors have advised that such grounds for challenge do indeed exist and set these out in a twelve page letter” explains Roger Cornwell, who chairs the Parish Planning Committee. “As the legal advice received also highlights that to determine the application at present would be unlawful, our Planning Committee decided unanimously on 4 January that the proper course of action was to submit this letter to the County Council. That was done later the same evening.”
The planning application is currently on hold, awaiting comments from the Environment Agency which has statutory responsibilities on flooding and air pollution issues.
In submitting this letter, the Parish Council hopes that Durham County Council will reconsider its proposals for the future location of its HQ and listen to the views of hundreds of residents from across the County and the many businesses who have submitted objections to this planning application.

A copy of the solicitors letter can be found here:

Solicitors Letter to DCC

The City of Durham Parish Council have submitted a proposal to amend the Durham City Neighbourhood Area boundary, in accordance with the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2017 and the Localism Act 2011.

The amendment is being sought to ensure the neighbourhood plan area aligns with the new parish boundary.  An area to the north west near Aykley Heads is being removed from the currently designated neighbourhood area, while additional land in Gilesgate to the east of the proposed neighbourhood area is being included.

The consultation is scheduled to run from Thursday 13th December until Thursday 31st January 2019. Any comments in relation to this matter should be made to the County Council by 5.00pm on 31st January 2019.

If you wish to make a comment on this, the consultation is currently hosted on the county council’s website at: http://www.durham.gov.uk/article/18184/Neighbourhood-planning-what-s-happening-

 

Public notice for the meeting of the City of Durham Parish Council meeting taking place on 20 December 2018

The public notice for the meeting of the Environment Committee being held on 13 December at 6.30 p.m. has been published.

The public notice for the meeting of the City of Durham Parish Council Licensing Committee taking place on 7 December 2018 2pm has been published.

The City of Durham Parish Council has requested that the national Planning Casework Unit calls the planning application for the erection of a new County Council Headquarters with associated car parking (inclusive of a multi-storey car park) with associated landscaping, highway and infrastructure works and demolition of existing structures into their office and that a decision is made by their unit. View the call-in request.

This will allow an Independent Inspector to make a decision on this application. This is based on the grounds that the parish council considers there is a conflict with national policies on important matters; substantial national controversy; and public confidence in objective, transparent and impartial planning decision-making.

Pending the County Council making a decision, we are ask the Planning Casework Unit to issue a holding direction.

Election information for the new City of Durham Parish Council is now available via Durham County Council’s website. This includes important information for both voters and potential candidates.

Please visit http://www.durham.gov.uk/durhamcityelection

Anyone wishing to stand as a candidate in the upcoming City of Durham Parish Council election can now request a nomination pack. The election, which follows a Community Governance Review, will be held on Thursday, 3 May.

The new authority will be split into three wards with a total of 15 seats – Elvet and Gilesgate (six councillors), Neville’s Cross (eight councillors) and Durham South (one councillor).

The notice of election will be published on Monday, 26 March, with nominations being accepted from Tuesday, 27 March. The deadline for close of nominations is 4pm on Friday, 6 April.

Anyone considering standing as a candidate should request a nomination pack from Durham County Council’s electoral services team.

Call 03000 261 212 or email electoralservices@durham.gov.uk

Further information for prospective candidates and agents can be found at www.electoralcommission.org.uk