“Looking to deny others hardly seems fair”: Developer defends Barnard Castle scheme as planners recommend approval

A development set to create up to 100 new homes in County Durham has been recommended for approval despite objections raised by local residents.

Specialist planning officers at Durham County Council have given their support for the plans put forward by Banks Property for the development on the outskirts of Barnard Castle.

The recommendations follow objections by local residents to the new scheme, which would see the homes built on a 5.5 hectare site to the north of the A67 Darlington Road - around a mile to the north east of the town centre.

Duncan Holness, project manager at Banks Property, commented: “This is a carefully-designed, high-quality development situated in the most appropriate place in Barnard Castle for new homes and we are confident that the Council’s planning officers’ recommendation for approval is fully deserved.

“We know there is a real demand for the types of properties being proposed for the Darlington Road site, with much of the local feedback we’ve had focusing on how a lack of supply is forcing young people and families who’ve been brought up here to move away when they want to make their homes in the place they know and love.

He added: “We, of course, understand that some local people will have concerns about our plans. The Council’s officers along with other statutory agencies have thoroughly scrutinised our application to ensure that these issues are comprehensively addressed and resolved before reaching their recommendation for approval.

“However, it has been disappointing to see objections to our plans primarily coming from residents of the adjacent Castle Vale estate, many of whom took the chance to move to Barnard Castle when it was built just a few years ago.

“Looking to deny others the same chance to enjoy living here that they have had hardly seems fair, and we strongly believe that being able to live in your chosen community should be an opportunity that is as widely available as possible.

“The increased supply of new family homes that our Darlington Road development will deliver for Barnard Castle will give more local young families the chance to build their lives here, and we hope the County Council’s planning committee will therefore heed the recommendation of their expert officers when it comes to consider our proposals.”

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