Karbon Homes to build 104 'affordable' Pelton homes in County Durham

Housing provider Karbon Homes will build 104 new homes, described as 100 per cent affordable, including bungalows and apartments at the site of the former Roseberry College, Pelton.

An apartment block, two and a half storeys high, is proposed for the site and will be enhanced by new public spaces and footpaths.

There are fears an ongoing consultation by Durham County Council into the future of sports facilities at Roseberry Playing Fields could be jeopardised by the housing development, but a last-minute bid by local councillors to defer the proposal at a planning meeting on Thursday was unsuccessful.

Read next: Fears that upgrades to football pitches could be prevented by plans for 100 new homes

Locals say the new housing estate will prevent the current 5G football pitch and changing facilities, used by Hilda Park FC, to be expanded due to potential complaints by future residents and access issues. Footballers using the facility will travel through the estate to access it.

The entrance to the football facilities in Pelton (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Karbon Homes will build 104 new homes, described as 100 per cent affordable, including bungalows and apartments at the site of the former Roseberry College, Pelton (Image: The Northern Echo)

Pelton councillor Danny Wood praised the affordable homes aspect of the new estate but couldn’t support it due to the long-lasting impact it could have on nearby football pitches.

He said: “How can it be deemed to be an acceptable time for such a public decision to be made on the future of this site whilst we’re still seeking the views of residents with the additional consultation?

“It is my view that allowing the planning application to be determined before the consultation ends would arguably bring the reputation of the council into disrepute.”

Residents also said the area has become overdeveloped and there isn’t a need for further estates. “The amount of housing development has significantly changed our community already,” cllr Wood added.

Karbon Homes redrew the proposal several times in line with neighbours’ demands while also introducing measures to mitigate noise issues at the football pitch.

Cllr Wood said: “This is exactly the kind of development that we do need in our community. But I’m deeply uncomfortable with the impact this could have on the potential to improve and enhance facilities at Roseberry Playing Fields.

“I haven’t come here with a long Christmas list but all I do want is time for the consultation to end, for us to look at what residents have to say, before we make a decision on the access arrangements for the site.”

How the new development could look (Image: Karbon Homes)

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Fellow Pelton councillor Alison Batey also shared her concerns over the impact on football facilities at Thursday’s meeting. She said: “It is fantastic that we now have a state-of-the-art changing facility, however due to one small grassroots football club having primacy, a £700,000 development is not getting its full potential usage.”

Cllr Batey says she has campaigned for up to seven years to open the site to more clubs but that potential opportunity is now jeopardised.  

Onsite building work is expected to start early in 2023, with the first phase of properties expected to be available by spring.