Decision details

The Cabinet Member with the Economy Portfolio introduced the report of the Chief Executive (previously circulated) updating Cabineton the progressof Skerningham GardenVillage DesignCode Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) and requesting that consideration be given to the Draft SPD (also previously circulated) with the suggested amendments.

The submitted report stated that a requirement of the adopted Darlington Local Plan 2016/36 was for the Council to progress with the creation and adoption of a SPD based on a Design Code for Skerningham Garden Village; after the decision of Cabinet on 13 December 2022 (Minute C233/Dec/22 refers), the Skerningham Garden Village Design Code Draft SPD was formally consulted upon; 102 comments were received from 94 contributing consultees; two consultation processes had been undertaken which ensured stakeholders had had the opportunity to comment on the draft SPD; those comments were welcomed; and that the Design Code had been amended based on the comments received.

It was reported that the matter had been considered by Cabinet on 3 July 2023 (Minute C18/Jul/23) and that a further two amendments were suggested, which had been incorporated into the final Design Code; after the Cabinet Meeting on 3 July, the Council received correspondence  which suggested the Design Code as previously recommended was in conflict with the Local Plan; after considering this further amendments were suggested to remove any perceived conflict; and that those amendments related mainly to the Bishopton Lane character area and the potential use of the land.

A Member and members of the public in attendance at the meeting addressed Cabinet on a number of issues, including the alignment of the relief road and whether it could be realigned to avoid the woodland; Barmpton Lane access road; the deletion of the golf club land from the plan and the impact of the loss of housing from that area on the remaining site; the design of the properties; whether the Design Code was a sound document which could be adopted by the Council and would be adhered to by the developers and builders of Skerningham Garden Village; and the importance of the document in the planning and master planning process.  The Leader and the Cabinet Member with the Economy Portfolio responded thereon.

RESOLVED – (a)  That the comments received from the consultation and the subsequent revisions that have been made to the Skerningham Garden Village Design Code SPD as illustrated in Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 of the submitted report, be noted.

(b)  That the Skerningham Garden Village Design Code SPD, as detailed in Appendix 3 of the submitted report, be approved, and be forwarded to Council at its meeting scheduled for 28 September 2023, for further consideration and a decision to made on its adoption.

REASON - The approval of the document as Council Planning policy has gone through an extended consultation process with the wider public and statutory consultees.  The document is fit and effective to be adopted as Council Policy complementing the Darlington Local Plan 2016/36.