Village club set to be demolished to make way for housing development

15/12/2007

A VILLAGE club is set to be demolished to make way for a housing development.

Durham City Council's development control committee has approved a planning application from developer Cussins Ltd to build 20 houses and one apartment on the site of Brandon and District Social Club and Institute in Commercial Street, Brandon.

And councillors and planning officials have welcomed the firm's proposals, saying they will have a positive impact on the village.

The club is near the ground of Brandon United FC and has now moved into the building used by the football club's own social club, which closed down earlier this year.

The Durham Villages Regeneration Company - the company part-owned by the council - won permission to build 42 houses on land nearby a few months ago.

Allen Simpson, head of planning services, told councillors that the new homes would be built in four "streets" and that the scheme had been carefully designed and was generously spaced.

Neither Durham County Council's highways department nor Northumbrian Water had raised any objections to the application.

But the City of Durham Trust was urging the council to refuse permission because the site was not listed in the council's own Urban Capacity Study, which was drawn up two years ago.

But Mr Simpson said it was a "windfall site" and that there were no conflicts with local, regional and national planning policies.

He said it would fit in with the area, providing homes for families and that the site of the development was below the threshold at which the council could call for some of the housing to be affordable.

Councillors also heard that the developer would be asked to contribute one per cent of the total of constructions towards the provision of some kind of public artwork in the development.

Brandon councillor Paul Taylor said: "I feel quite sad because Brandon club is a landmark and it was the scene of my misspent youth.

"But this is a quality development, I think the design is good and I think it will add to the village. It is just sad that the club hasn't been able to keep going."

8:10 Saturday 15th December 2007

The Northern Echo - www.thenorthernecho.co.uk