Public inquiry over rejected plans for 71 homes

A public inquiry will be held after a council refused plans for a housing estate on a former steelworks.

Project Genesis applied for permission to build 71 homes in Consett, County Durham, but faced objections from hundreds of residents.

The proposal was turned down by Durham County Council's planning committee in July 2024, with officers saying it would exacerbate issues with the local road network and highway safety.

The local development firm submitted an appeal to the government's planning inspectorate following the rejection and a six-day hearing is due to take place in June.

Its proposal includes a mix of two, three and four-bed bungalows for land north-west of Duchy Close, Consett.

A planning statement described the site as a "highly sustainable location" near another residential development, a supermarket, cafe and children's play centre.

A total of 116 objections to the proposal were sent to the council, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Opponents said the land was used by dog walkers and would be a loss to the community.

Anne Bowen, whose home borders the proposed site, questioned whether she would be safe in her back garden due to the "toxic" land.

The council said the site was not a sustainable location for development and the planning report added the proposal "clearly conflicts" with a number of policies.

Representatives on behalf of the applicant criticised the council at the July meeting and claimed the planning report included "a number of factual inaccuracies".

An appeal letter submitted by Project Genesis requested a public inquiry to "ensure thorough exploration of the available evidence and robust appeal decision".

"Alternative procedures would not be sufficient to test the parties' cases," it added.

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