Thank you for consulting the Parish Council on the Pre Submission Draft Version of the County Durham Plan.
The matter was considered at the Monthly Meeting of Coxhoe Parish Council on the 6th March 2019.
As you will be aware Coxhoe Parish Council’s main interest has been in respect of Housing Development in Coxhoe and Quarrington Hill. The Parish Council has previously supported the inclusion of sites for development within Coxhoe Ward so long as adequate attention was given to improving infrastructure such as health and education to meet the demands of an increased population. It has however objected to development where such improved infrastructure has not been provided. The Parish Council has also objected in the strongest possible terms to development that it considered would adversely affect the character and appearance of the countryside that separates the settlements of Parkhill and Coxhoe. This included the current development that is under construction, which is a clear and unfortunate intrusion into open countryside. Its impact serves to require that any future development between Coxhoe and Parkhill should be prevented to ensure that the coalescence of the two settlements is prevented and the remaining countryside protected.
It is the Parish Council’s clear view that Coxhoe and Parkhill are separate settlements with their own identities and the coalescence of the settlements should be resisted.Moreover, it also considers that sufficient housing allocations have been made within Coxhoe Ward as a result of current extant planning permissions. The Parish Council therefore fully supports Policy 4 of the Pre Submission Draft in that no further allocations are made for housing in Coxhoe, and in particular, the open countryside which currently defines the separation between Coxhoe and Parkhill. The Parish Councils agrees with the contention in the Pre submission Draft that the sites allocated within the policy together with current planning permissions provides for a sufficient range and choice of sites in the County to meet needs during the lifetime of the plan.
The Parish Council fully supports Policy 6 of the Pre Submission draft which
clarifies the circumstances where any unallocated development may take place. In particular, it supports the inclusion of the coalescence of settlements criteria should the important separation between Coxhoe and Parkhill be considered to be located in a built up area in the future.
In terms of other relevant policies the Parish Council supports the inclusion of the Integra 61 site as an Employment site in Policy 2 subject to development complying with other relevant policies within the Plan. It also supports the definition of Coxhoe as a ‘local centre’ in Policy 9 of the Pre Submission Draft.
The Parish Council does not wish to make representations on other aspects of the Document.
Yours faithfully,
Claire Llewelyn
Parish Clerk
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