Councillor Jonathan Elmer

Voting record

The minutes we hold do not give each member's vote at these meetings, so no vote is counted for Elmer and no voting chart is drawn. The minutes do name who proposed each motion.

Attendance

Decisions

Every application decided at a meeting they sat on, newest first, with their vote where the minutes give it.

• MeetingApplicationOutcomeTheir vote
• 21 Jul 2026 Part Of Unit 1 3 Cook Way North West Industrial Estate PeterleeIndoor padel centre · DM/26/00593/FPA Approved ForNo vote against recorded
• 14 Jul 2026 Land At 40-82 Farnham Road Newton Hall Durham22 affordable homes · DM/25/01556/FPA Approved ForNo vote against recorded
• 9 Jun 2026 Land North East Of Brandon United Football Club Commercial Street Brandon36 social-rent homes · DM/25/02911/FPA Approved ForNo vote against recorded
• 9 Jun 2026 Former Easington Colliery Primary School Seaside Lane Easington Colliery Peterlee25 affordable homes · DM/25/03426/FPA Approved ForNo vote against recorded

No decision matches these filters.

In the minutes

What the minutes record Elmer moving, seconding, asking or saying on each decision, in the minutes’ own words. Passages that name more than one councillor, or a member of the public, are left out.

• Spoke

  “Councillor J Elmer noted that the application looked entirely positive, it being very rare that an application before Committee had no objections and asked if there were any issues Members should be aware of.”

  Minutes, 21 Jul 2026, Part Of Unit 1 3 Cook Way North West Industrial Estate Peterlee
• Asked a question

  “Councillor J Elmer asked if same applicant had applied for an HMO in the past.”

  Minutes, 21 Jul 2026, 18 Boyd Street Durham
• Spoke

  “Councillor J Elmer noted his frustration, with the applicant finding a chink in the armour of the Council’s HMO policies. He noted the application would, in effect, have the same impact as an HMO, however, as it appeared to be a loophole, Members could not object to the application as an HMO.”

  Minutes, 21 Jul 2026, 18 Boyd Street Durham
• Spoke on neighbours' amenity

  “Councillor J Elmer noted that with the creation of two flats, rented to students, permanent residents would be forced out, as no one would want to live next door due to the impact upon their amenity. He concluded that the two flats would unlikely appeal to anyone other than students.”

  Minutes, 21 Jul 2026, 18 Boyd Street Durham
• Spoke on parking

  “Councillor J Elmer noted he was happy to include parking as a refusal reason.”

  Minutes, 21 Jul 2026, 18 Boyd Street Durham
• Spoke on parking

  “Councillor J Elmer noted, as regards his motion for refusal, that he would wish to include parking, however, he was nervous that doing so would weaken any case such that refusal could be overturned at appeal. He asked whether the application was SPD compliant.”

  Minutes, 21 Jul 2026, 18 Boyd Street Durham
• Spoke on highway safety

  “Councillor J Elmer accepted the comments from the Lawyer (Planning and Highways) as regards defending any second refusal reason based upon parking at any future appeal. He noted, however, that it was clear that the SPD and policy requirements were not being met and accordingly, he did not feel the defence at appeal, if subsequently lost, would attract costs.”

  Minutes, 21 Jul 2026, 18 Boyd Street Durham
• Spoke on parking

  “Councillor J Elmer noted that it was for the Committee to decide, so he would stick with refusal based upon failure to demonstrate need and failure to meet the requirements of the Parking SPD and associated CDP Policies.”

  Minutes, 21 Jul 2026, 18 Boyd Street Durham
• Spoke

  “Councillor J Elmer noted that the application looked like a very positive development for the area and asked, given high energy prices, whether the properties utilised solar panels and batteries. He also asked as regards cycle storage.”

  Minutes, 14 Jul 2026, Land At 40-82 Farnham Road Newton Hall Durham
• Spoke

  “Councillor J Elmer noted that there were no negatives associated with the proposals. He noted the work of all involved in the estates renewal, adding it was excellent and all had worked very hard to meet local needs.”

  Minutes, 14 Jul 2026, Silver Cottage, Silver Courts, Red Firs Rowman Lea And Vicarage Flats Brandon Durham
• Spoke on parking

  “Councillor J Elmer explained that a cause of congestion was the Meadowfield GP Surgery, with their car park being insufficient for the number of people using the facility. He noted it was an issue that people had been trying to solve for decades, adding he felt the only solution would be to extend the car park and hoped that one day there could be funding to carry out such extension works.”

  Minutes, 14 Jul 2026, Silver Cottage, Silver Courts, Red Firs Rowman Lea And Vicarage Flats Brandon Durham
• Spoke

  “Councillor J Elmer noted the application was very positive and he had been so impressed by the approach taken by Believe in terms of estate renewal and the process over the last four years or so. He noted they had held a number of public drop-in sessions prior to designs being created and asked for views on what was needed in the area, very positive.”

  Minutes, 14 Jul 2026, Silver Cottage, Silver Courts, Red Firs Rowman Lea And Vicarage Flats Brandon Durham
• Spoke

  “Councillor J Elmer noted a focus had been made on the concerns as regards the initial consultation, prior to the demolition of the former school. He noted that while not material to the application being considered, he reiterated his ongoing frustration with Council consultations where residents leave with one impression, in this case that a park would be provided, and then the actual outcome was different.”

  Minutes, 9 Jun 2026, Former Easington Colliery Primary School Seaside Lane Easington Colliery Peterlee
• Spoke on highway safety

  “Councillor J Elmer noted he would second the motion for approval, including the additional highways condition.”

  Minutes, 9 Jun 2026, Former Easington Colliery Primary School Seaside Lane Easington Colliery Peterlee
• Spoke on a site visit

  “Councillor J Elmer noted he attended the site visit and noted that the grounds were wonderful, with a mature open garden setting. He noted that whether the application moved forward rested upon Green Belt policy as set out at NPPF 153, with the CDP effectively saying, ‘see the NPPF’ and the NPPF stating that ‘substantial weight is given to any harm to the Green Belt’ unless there were exceptional circumstances.”

  Minutes, 9 Jun 2026, Fernhill Newcastle Road Crossgate Moor Durham
• Spoke

  “Councillor J Elmer noted one could argue black was white and day was night, however, the areas did not look like previously developed land, rather it looked like garden that had not been developed upon over the years.”

  Minutes, 9 Jun 2026, Fernhill Newcastle Road Crossgate Moor Durham
• Asked a question

  “Councillor J Elmer asked if the plans showing both plots could be displayed on screen. He noted while Plot 2 to the south looked like part of the curtilage, Plot 1 to the north was clearly separate and he did not feel that would fall under previously developed land.”

  Minutes, 9 Jun 2026, Fernhill Newcastle Road Crossgate Moor Durham
• Spoke on the green belt

  “Councillor J Elmer noted he felt it was both, impact upon the Green Belt, its openness and it being substantial harm.”

  Minutes, 9 Jun 2026, Fernhill Newcastle Road Crossgate Moor Durham
• Spoke

  “Councillor J Elmer noted the application was in his Electoral Division and was one he had been monitoring closely.”

  Minutes, 9 Jun 2026, Land North East Of Brandon United Football Club Commercial Street Brandon
• Moved the motion

  “He added there was similar issues along that route to the one proposed by Councillor J Elmer in terms of not being able to achieve visibility and width standards. He noted that there had been previous attempts to develop the site, however, access had been an issue at that time.”

  Minutes, 9 Jun 2026, Land North East Of Brandon United Football Club Commercial Street Brandon
• Spoke

  “Councillor J Elmer noted the proposals for DCC Housing was exactly the sort of application that was needed, he noted that the development within his Electoral Division was welcomed and with a local lettings policy, as discussed for the first application, was positive.”

  Minutes, 9 Jun 2026, Land North East Of Brandon United Football Club Commercial Street Brandon
• Spoke

  “Councillor J Elmer noted he had hoped that the University would have responded in terms of quantitative need.”

  Minutes, 7 Apr 2026, 7 Atherton Street Durham
• Spoke

  “Councillor J Elmer noted he wished to drill down into the issue of need, adding that the evidenced need within the city was for properties for young families to live in permanently. He admitted that the proposed PBSA could help push the balance from HMOs, however, there was a need for evidence in terms of need.”

  Minutes, 7 Apr 2026, 7 Atherton Street Durham
• Asked a question

  “Councillor J Elmer asked what the percentage of bungalows was on the site, notwithstanding it was an indicative layout.”

  Minutes, 10 Feb 2026, Land To The South West Of 27 Durham Road West Bowburn
• Spoke

  “Councillor J Elmer noted that this was an opportunity for Committee Members to give their point of view and an opportunity for the applicant to hear those comments.”

  Minutes, 10 Feb 2026, Land To The South West Of 27 Durham Road West Bowburn
• Spoke on trees and wildlife

  “In relation to the boundary hedge, Councillor J Elmer noted it had a biodiversity value and he was delighted that the historic hedge would be retained.”

  Minutes, 10 Feb 2026, Land To The South West Of 27 Durham Road West Bowburn
• Spoke on affordable housing

  “Councillor J Elmer noted he absolutely supported the nature of the application, with affordable and accessible homes, however, there had been problems identified and they usually stemmed from trying to include too many properties on to a site.”

  Minutes, 10 Feb 2026, Land To The South Of South Parade Thornley
• Spoke on trees and wildlife

  “Councillor J Elmer, while appreciating the small loss of agricultural land, noted that there was a biodiversity net gain, and the loss was temporary in effect. He seconded the motion for approval.”

  Minutes, 10 Feb 2026, Land North West Of Ebony Stud 3 Weems Farm Mickle Hill Road Hesleden
• Asked about design and scale

  “Councillor J Elmer asked for more details as regards the design review.”

  Minutes, 13 Jan 2026, Land North Of The Old Chapel Colliery Road Bearpark
• Spoke

  “Councillor Elmer confirmed that as Local Member he had received growing concerns from the community over the past 6-12 months. He had attended a couple of consultation events and talked to many residents.”

  Minutes, 5 Nov 2025, Land At Red Barns Brandon Durham

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