Plans to demolish a former County Durham restaurant and turn the site into housing have been approved by the council.

Durham County Council granted planning permission on Thursday for the redevelopment of the site on Front Street, Haswell Plough

The approval permits the demolition of the restaurant and the construction of four new houses, subject to certain conditions.

An approval letter from the council outlined specific requirements that must be met before development begins, including the submission of reserved matters related to appearance, layout, landscaping, and scale.

The developer is also required to ensure compliance with conditions relating to soundproofing, drainage, landscaping, and bat protection units.

The planning process involved careful consideration of the visual and landscape effects of the proposed development.

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A landscape advice document highlighted concerns about the visual impact of the project, particularly regarding how the new buildings would be visible from various vantage points.

The proposed curved arrangement of buildings was criticised for contrasting with the existing linear pattern of the settlement.

Planning documents suggested adopting a more linear design to better align with the surrounding environment and reduce visual impact.

The planning application was assessed against various policies, including the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the County Durham Plan.

A fast-track report identified some concerns about the visual impact of the proposed dwellings and their layout, which doesn’t align with the settlement’s character.

However, the report concluded that the project could proceed, provided the developer addresses all conditions and recommendations, including revising the layout at the reserved matters stage to better fit with the surrounding area.