Fresh plans submitted for village housing scheme, Teesdale Mercury

A BITTER row between residents of a dale village and developers has taken a new twist after fresh plans were submitted.

In 2007, Butterknowle residents organised a petition against a proposal to build 14 homes on a field west of Victoria Cottages.

Some residents even said they would lie down to stop the bulldozers moving in, and planning officers rejected the scheme.

The landowners, Audrey Bainbridge and Dorothy Dowson, then asked for permission to build 12 properties at the site, including four affordable homes.

Residents again protested and the plans were later withdrawn.

The proposals have now been re-submitted to Durham County Council and the applicants’ planning agent, Dr Malcom Bell, has criticised the protestors.

He claimed that some people had made “personal insults” to Mrs Bainbridge.

Dr Bell said Mrs Bainbridge, who ran the village shop for 44 years, in fact cared for the community.

Dr Bell added that the objections came down to residents being “against the idea of people who require assistance with their housing being allowed to live in Butterknowle”.

He said: “It may not make us popular with some, but with so little affordable housing coming forward at the present time, we believe the genuine possibility of getting this affordable housing built argues strongly in favour of the scheme.”

Durham County Council received 18 objection letters to the last plans, along with one letter of support.

Lynesack and Softley Parish Council also called for the proposal to be rejected.

The concerns of residents included rights of way issues, overdevelopment, increase of traffic, drainage issues, parking problems and the site being Greenfield

land.

People were also worried about the effect on people’s views but Dr Bell said there was no right to a view in English law.

He said people could look at the countryside from many places in the village.

Dr Bell said: “We feel anyone walking in and around Butterknowle is fortunate enough to have excellent views over good sound northern countryside. At all times one feels in a rural area.”

Residents were also angry about changes to a grass verge, but Dr Bell said it was an eyesore.

And Dr Bell wrote: “That those who have been directly involved in making the verge ugly should now be objectors to its enhanced use is one of the oddities of life.”

The agent added that parking worries were “overstated” and that there was no evidence for claims about increased flooding.

Planarch Design, also on behalf of the applicants, said Three Rivers Housing, which has several other properties in the village, has expressed an interest in the site.

However, the plans remain a serious concern for some villagers.

Mr Lowther, who lives in The Slack, told the council last year that one property had an insurance excess of £10,000 because of drainage problems.

He said: “I invite the planning officer to come and see when the river is in flood and you will see the horrendous conditions the people in The Slack have to put up with –ripping out carpets and three piece suites and fitting new kitchens.

“The situation is not going to get better and will be considerably worse with extra property causing more sewerage and surface water ending up in The Slack.”