Durham planning committee decisions
65 decisions from the committee's minutes, 3 Sep 2025 to 21 Jul 2026. Each sets out what was proposed, what officers advised, what was said and how the committee decided.
1 in 6 decisions went against officer advice
Above the rate across all 346 councils with committee decisions on Plota (11.1%), 51st highest of 205 councils with at least 15 decisions.
- Decisions
- 65
- Approved
- 76.9%
- Against officer advice
- 15.4%
- Unanimous
- 100%
How Durham compares
Share of decisions against officer advice at the 205 councils with at least 15 decisions on Plota. Each dot is a council.
More or less favourable than its officers?
Durham's committee is less favourable to applicants than its officers. Officers recommended approval in 87.3% of these decisions; the committee approved 80%, 7.3 points fewer.
Across all 346 councils, committees approve 2.6 points fewer than their officers recommend, so Durham leans further against applicants than most.
Over the 55 decided applications with a clear officer recommendation.
Source: Plota analysis of Durham's planning committee minutes and officer reports.
What it decides
76.9% approved and 21.5% refused. Of 13 decisions with a recorded vote, 13 were unanimous.
Show as a table
| Month | Approved | Refused | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 25 | 10 | 2 | 0 |
| Oct 25 | 6 | 3 | 0 |
| Nov 25 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Dec 25 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Jan 26 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 26 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 26 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Apr 26 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 26 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 26 | 6 | 2 | 1 |
| Jul 26 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
Source: Plota analysis of Durham's planning committee minutes.
When it overrules its officers
10 of 65 decisions went against the planning officers' recommendation.
Which way
What kind of application
From the 9 of 10 with a recorded application type; one application can count under more than one.
Source: Plota analysis of Durham's planning committee minutes and officer reports.
Recent decisions against officer advice
- Two self-contained flats18 Boyd Street DurhamOfficers advised approval because the proposal met relevant policies, subject to conditions and an open-space contribution.Refused
- Battery energy storage systemLand East Of Carrs Farm South HettonOfficers advised approval because energy-storage benefits outweighed landscape, amenity and heritage harm, with technical impacts controlled by conditions.Refused
- Livestock polytunnel and shepherd’s hutCockfield Hall Cockfield Hall Road Cockfield Bishop AucklandOfficers advised refusal because the structures harmed heritage assets and the landscape, and the benefits did not outweigh that harm.Approved
- Up to 156 homesLand North And West Of 3 Westerton Road CoundonOfficers advised approval because housing, affordable homes, biodiversity and economic benefits outweighed landscape and transport harm.Refused
- Extended rear raised platform8 Church Mews Winston DarlingtonOfficers advised approval because fencing would prevent significantly increased views and avoid unacceptable harm to neighbours or the landscape.Refused
- Ground-mounted solar farmLand To The South Of Wagtail Lane CragheadOfficers advised approval because renewable energy, biodiversity and employment benefits outweighed the landscape harm.Refused
Latest decisions
Newest first. Each links to the full write-up: the proposal, the officers' advice, what was said and the vote.
July 2026 8
- Two self-contained flats18 Boyd Street DurhamRefused
- Indoor padel centrePart Of Unit 1 3 Cook Way North West Industrial Estate PeterleeApproved
- Visitor attractions and showsKynren Flatts Farm Toronto Bishop AucklandApproved
- 90 affordable homesSilver Cottage, Silver Courts, Red Firs Rowman Lea And Vicarage Flats Brandon DurhamApproved
- 22 affordable homesLand At 40-82 Farnham Road Newton Hall DurhamApproved
- Roundabout condition removalLand To The North East Of Explorer House Iveston Lane IvestonApproved
- Solar parkLand To The East Of Stockton Road SeahamRefused
- Battery energy storage systemLand East Of Carrs Farm South HettonRefused
June 2026 2
Other committees nearby
- Darlington planning committee
- Gateshead planning committee
- Hartlepool planning committee
- Middlesbrough planning committee
- Newcastle upon Tyne planning committee
- North Tyneside planning committee
- Northumberland (County) planning committee
- Northumberland (Park) planning committee
- Redcar and Cleveland planning committee
- Stockton-on-Tees planning committee
- Sunderland planning committee