Kirk Merrington Pre School Blue House Estate Kirk Merrington Spennymoor DL16 7JD Data via plota.co.uk

DM/26/02526/FPA - Full Planning Application Pending Consideration
Change of useCommercial premises

Proposal

Change of use of an area of grazing land to garden land to provide an outdoor educational growing area. Data via plota.co.uk

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View original council record ↗Last checked

Application progress

✓
Received
21 Sept 2026
✓
Validated
16 Oct 2026
✓
Consultation
21 Oct 2026
Decision
Expected by 11 Dec 2026

Under consideration

No decision has been issued yet. Plota predicts a decision between 11 Dec 2026 and 22 Dec 2026, from Durham's recent changes of use.

Comments are open until 11 Nov 2026

Comment on this application ↗

Documents 2

Statements & assessments 1

PDF NATURE NOOK - BIODIVERSITY PLAN Drawing · 29 Sept 2026 View ↗

Other documents 1

PDF SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES Supporting Information · 8 Oct 2026 View ↗

All documents on the council site ↗

Site constraints 8

Nutrient neutrality catchment: Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast SPA/Ramsar
New homes and overnight accommodation must show nutrient neutrality before approval.
Natural England advice: extra wastewater in these catchments harms protected habitats, so schemes must offset their nutrient load, usually through credits.
Public footpath 9 m away
Matters where it crosses or adjoins the site: obstructing a path without a diversion order is an offence, and work cannot start until the order is confirmed.
Compiled from highway authority data, not the legal definitive map. A few authorities have not published, so no path shown is not proof there is none.
Also on the record
2 listed buildings within 150 m; Coalfield, development low risk area; Conservation area 76 m away: Kirk Merrington; Heritage at risk 76 m away: Kirk Merrington; Inside the Kirk Merrington built-up area; 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 · Not green belt · No scheduled monument at the site

Checked on 22 October 2026. Historic England, the Environment Agency, Natural England, the Mining Remediation Authority 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
Full Planning Application
Postcode
DL16 7JD
Received
21 Sept 2026
Validated
16 Oct 2026
Ward
Ferryhill
Parish
Spennymoor
Case officer
Show
Target decision
11 Dec 2026
Decision level
Delegated
Applicant
Show

Decision outlook

Day 12 of the 56-day target. Durham usually decides changes of use by day 58.

Day 1246 days to the predicted decision (day 58)
48%decided within 8 weeks
84%approved
12%go to committee

Plota live figures for changes of use decided by Durham in the last twelve months, from validation. Durham decision record →

Public comments

No public comments yet.

3 neighbours consulted · Last counted 22 Oct 2026

Read the comments on the council site ↗

Consultation & key dates

Alt. reference
PP-15238155
Planning Portal ref
PP-15238155
Neighbours
21 Oct 2026
Consultation
21 Oct 2026
Comments by
11 Nov 2026
Statutory expiry
11 Dec 2026
Env. assessment
No

Historical activity at this location

5 nearby applications on record - archival context, not part of the live application.

Within ~100m

Nearby activity

2025
3 Jowsey Place Kirk Merrington Spennymoor DL16 7JE
T1 - Birch - Crown reduce and reshape by 1-2m, and prune back to clear overhead service c…
DM/25/00560/TPO
2023 Refused
3 Jowsey Place Kirk Merrington Spennymoor DL16 7JE
T1 and T2 - crown reduction and reshape.
DM/23/01271/TCA
2020 Approved
3 Jowsey Place Kirk Merrington Spennymoor DL16 7JE
Porch to front, single storey rear extension and replacement dormer window to rear roof s…
DM/20/01863/FPA
2019 Approved
Crosswinds Blue House Estate Kirk Merrington Spennymoor DL16 7JD
Single storey side and rear extensions, and garage conversion including glazed lantern ro…
DM/19/01529/FPA
2019 Approved
3 Jowsey Place Kirk Merrington Spennymoor DL16 7JE
Crown reduction and re-shape by 1-2 metres to 1no. Birch and 1no. Larch
DM/19/01567/TCA
Durham
Planning Authority Score
5.2/10
Average
#137 of 296 councils
Relevant to this application:
Change of use

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
Source: MHCLG planning statistics · See full council rankings