‘Mobile homes’ plans for village refused

Plans for ‘bungalow-style mobile homes’ to house older people in a village have been thrown out by council planners.

Plans were submitted to Durham County Council in 2020 for up to 13 mobile homes on vacant land off George Street in Haswell.

The homes were designed to be used as residential accommodationforthose aged over-55.

According to planning documents, the land also benefited from extant permission for residential development.

The new plans included a change of use of the land to accommodatemobilehomes – with other elements of the site set to be controlled through a licence under The Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act (1960).

Thisincludedaboundary wall, lighting, the formation of concrete plinths and the construction of an internal access road.

A design and access statement, submitted with the plan, added the mobile homes would help meet demand for “additional relatively low cost single-storey accommodation for an ageing population.”

During consultation, seven public objections were lodged raising concerns including the impact on residential amenity and loss of privacy.

After considering all submissions, Durham County Council’s planning department refused the applicationonFebruary9,2021.

The main issues included the impact on neighbouring properties, drainage and ecology. For more information, visit Durham County Council’s online planning portal and search reference: DM/20/03320/FPA