Housing plan refused over impact on village

Objectors pointed to what they called the "unique" historical and geological nature of Hawthorn

A housing scheme has been refused permission due to the potential impact on the character of a village.

Bellway Homes applied to build 81 properties, a convenience store and green spaces in Hawthorn, 10 miles south of Sunderland, which it said would boost local housebuilding targets.

But residents warned the housing would negatively impact the village's appearance, claiming the settlement is the "last of its kind in coastal County Durham".

Despite support from Easington MP Grahame Morris, Durham County Council's planning committee unanimously refused the application.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, objectors raised concerns over the proposed development's scale and pointed to the ongoing work to create further housing at the nearby Seaham Garden Village.

One said: "Hawthorn is unique in that is an ancient medieval settlement and it is also the last of its kind in coastal County Durham, a village born out of agriculture rather than coal-mining, consisting of unique and very rare magnesian limestone grassland."

But Michael Hepburn, a planning consultant, said the development had been "carefully designed and will not overwhelm the village in any sense".

Shaun Cuggy, from Bellway Homes, said the proposal would boost local housebuilding targets and provide better opportunities to get on the housing ladder.

But the committee noted the planning department's insistence that the proposal contravened several planning policies and the refused the plans.

Planning chair and Reform councillor Jill Campbell said: "Although we have to give significant weight to housing need, and there are benefits to this application, what strikes me is that the character of this location is very important and significant.

"The adverse impacts of the proposed development in terms of landscape harm demonstrably outweigh the benefits of this proposal."