Cookes West Wood Alum Waters New Brancepeth DH7 7JP Data via plota.co.uk

DM/26/02687/CEU - Certificate of Lawfulness Existing Use Pending Consideration

Proposal

Use of the site as a composite use for the purposes of agriculture, forestry, and land-based operations; a vegetable box scheme, craft and education courses, together with the construction and residential occupation of dwellings (use class C3) and other residential structures available to, and occupied by, persons by reason of and for so long as they are engaged in that use together with their families; such structures being identified on the annexed plan and schedule and marked thereon in green comprising: Houses 1, 2 and 3, the Yurt, the Well, and the Geodome, together with the use of further structures, identified on the annexed plan and schedule and marked thereon in yellow comprising: the Tunnel, the two Caravans, the Field Shelter, the Hen House, the Compost Toilet, the two Timber Stores, the Tool Shed, and the Summerhouse, being either incidental or ancillary to the said use where stated and including the accommodation on a transient basis of volunteers and visitors engaged in or assisting with that use, but excluding any use of the structures numbered [014] Tool Shed and [015] Summerhouse otherwise than as operational development by s171B(1), such composite use, taken as a whole, not falling within any use class specified in the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 (as amended) and being accordingly a sui generis use and Operational Development: The erection of the operational development identified in the Buildings Schedule hereto and marked thereon [1] to [15] at their respective locations on the plan. Data via plota.co.uk

View original council record ↗Last checked

Application progress

✗
Appeal dismissed
6 May 2026
✓
Received
7 Oct 2026
✓
Validated
8 Oct 2026
✓
Consultation
13 Oct 2026
Decision
Expected by 3 Dec 2026

Under consideration

No decision has been issued yet. Plota predicts a decision around 30 Nov 2026, from Durham's recent agricultural works.

Comments are open until 5 Nov 2026

Comment on this application ↗

Site constraints 8

Ancient woodland: Primrose Side Farm Wood
Irreplaceable habitat. Standing advice asks for a 15 m buffer from the boundary.
National policy refuses development that would cause loss or deterioration of ancient woodland or ancient trees unless there are wholly exceptional reasons.
Green belt: Tyne and Wear
Inappropriate development needs very special circumstances.
Green belt policy allows a short list of exceptions, such as limited extensions and replacement buildings. Anything else needs very special circumstances that clearly outweigh the harm. Some green belt land can count as grey belt, where it does not strongly serve the green belt's purposes. The council decides this in its green belt assessment or on each application, so we do not mark it here.
Read the government guidance ↗
Priority habitat: Deciduous woodland
A habitat of principal importance. It shapes the ecology work and the biodiversity net gain a scheme has to show.
Habitat network: Ancient Semi Natural Woodland
Where habitat is joined up enough to work as a network. Context, not a constraint on its own.
Also on the record
Radon affected area, class 2; Coalfield, development low risk area; Flood defence 41 m away (natural high ground, designed for a 1 in 2 year flood); Natural England's Provisional ALC map (1:250,000, 1970s) had this area as grade 3, but it predates the buildings here and the current map does not class it as farmland.
Not affected
Outside flood zones 2 and 3 · No listed building at the site · No scheduled monument at the site

Checked on 14 October 2026. Historic England, the Environment Agency, Natural England, the Mining Remediation Authority, the British Geological Survey and UK Health Security Agency (radon, contains BGS materials © UKRI) and council datasets, Open Government Licence. A boundary can run through a site and the council holds the definitive record: confirm with the council before relying on this.

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Important details

Council
Durham
Application type
Certificate of Lawfulness Existing Use
Postcode
DH7 7JP
Received
7 Oct 2026
Validated
8 Oct 2026
Ward
Deerness
Parish
Brandon And Byshottles
Case officer
Show
Target decision
3 Dec 2026
Appeal
Dismissed · 6 May 2026 · Written Representations · Inspectorate case 6004274 ↗
Applicant
Show
Agent
Premise Planning

Decision outlook

Day 20 of the 56-day target. Durham usually decides agricultural works by day 53.

Day 2036 days to the 56-day target
78%decided within 8 weeks
69%approved
64decided in the last year

Plota live figures for agricultural works decided by Durham in the last twelve months, from validation. Durham decision record →

Public comments

No public comments yet.

20 neighbours consulted · Last counted 21 Oct 2026

Read the comments on the council site ↗

Consultation & key dates

Alt. reference
PP-15274962
Planning Portal ref
PP-15274962
Neighbours
13 Oct 2026
Consultation
13 Oct 2026
Comments by
5 Nov 2026
Site or press notice
15 Oct 2026
Statutory expiry
3 Dec 2026
Env. assessment
No
Durham
Planning Authority Score
5.2/10
Average
#137 of 296 councils
Relevant to this application:
Householder decisions

Durham ranks #190 out of 296 councils for householder decision speed. 48% of applications have the time limit extended, above the 41% national average. Householder applications are more likely to be approved here than most councils, with a 97% approval rate vs 90% nationally.

More permissive than most councils
97% approved vs 90% nationally
These figures are council-wide context, not a prediction for this application. View full council performance
Durham decision statistics
Based on MHCLG data, the year to March 2026
93%
Overall approval rate
Above avg (87%) #52 of 296
97%
Householder approved
Above avg (90%) #29 of 296
59%
Decided in 8 weeks
Below avg (63%) #190 of 296
48%
Extended time limit
Above avg (41%) #213 of 296
79%
Minor dwellings approved
95 decided (1-9 homes)
90%
Major dwellings approved
49 decided (10+ homes)
87%
Change of use approved
201 decided
1,706
Total decisions
113 refused in the year to March 2026