New social rent housing will be built on the site of a former County Durham school, writes Local Democracy Reporter, Bill Edgar.
Plans to build 25 homes in Easington Colliery were supported by Durham County Council’s planning committee despite local concerns about the scheme.
The development will consist of two-storey homes, bungalows and flats on the site of the former Easington Colliery Primary School, which was demolished in 2020.
It forms part of the local authority’s council house delivery programme, which includes an ambition to deliver 500 homes over the next five years.
Earlier this year, Durham County Council secured £645,632 toward the development as part of NECA’s wider £22 million investment to support 1,122 new homes across the North East.
After the school’s closure, the site was sold to a local developer for £1. He proposed various redevelopment schemes, including residential conversion and a business centre, but none of them came to fruition as all of the planning applications were rejected.
Previous plans to build a public park on the site never materialised.
Councillor Louise Penders, Reform member for Easington and Shotton ward, told the committee: “The buildings were in a state of disrepair as they had stood empty for more than two decades, and had suffered vandalism, but residents now feel deceived as they were promised an open green space.”
She added that Easington Colliery is now at risk of becoming “overdeveloped” due to the number of housing projects in the area.
Cllr Penders said: “There is no amount of section 106 money that can create the extra classrooms or build bigger schools, doctors or dentists in the colliery.
“Residents who have lived here for years have to travel to Peterlee to see a doctor, and seeing a dentist is nigh on impossible unless you are in agony, and then you always have to travel out of your area.
“The infrastructure cannot cope with the residents that we have now, let alone adding more residents to the equation. I urge you to do the right thing, stand up and stick up for the residents of Easington and reject the application.”
But the council insisted that residents will receive priority when the new properties are available.
“The proposed scheme is in a suitable location with the development having excellent links to local services and facilities,” the local authority added.
The planning application was approved by three votes to two, with three abstentions.
Bill Edgar
Reporter for the Local Democracy Reporter Service.
South West Durham News covering news across County Durham.
