Article 4 Direction – Framwellgate Moor area

The Council is consulting on implementing an order to restrict the percentage of houses on any particular street which can be converted to houses of multiple occupation (HMO). This does not include Framwellgate Moor or Pity Me, but does cover most of the wider Durham City area.

In the City and surrounding areas many streets have such high levels of student occupancy that it impacts upon the sustainability of the area. HMO’s can also be non-student houses with more people living there than the property can sustain. Under Council plans, conversion to an HMO  would require planning permission when the number of HMO houses on a street exceeds 10%.

We asked for Framwellgate Moor & Pity Me to be included in the boundaries proposed for the Order, but the Council has not done this. Parts of Framwellgate Moor have very high percentages of HMO properties. This can cause problems due to lack of space for bins, insufficient parking, over-development, empty properties and in some cases, rogue landlords leaving properties in a poor condition or allowing overcrowding.

For this reason we are asking that you respond to this consultation. We are putting forward a proposal for the whole area to be included in the Order. In case this is not approved we are also asking that at the very least the Terraces in Framwellgate Moor and Pity Me are included.

This would not halt all conversions to multi-occupancy homes. However it would allow the Council to restrict such changes via the planning system where it was felt the balance had gone too far.

We already have problems on some streets. Our biggest concern is that if the rest of the City is included in the restrictions, developers will seek to concentrate future HMO development in our area – with no ability to stop it. This will lead to an increase in the problems we outline above.

We ask that you support our concerns by taking part in this consultation. The Council didn’t provide a consultation event in Framwellgate Moor so we have arranged one at the Community Centre on Mon 5th October from 3pm-6pm.

Please attend the event and/or email your views to spatialpolicy@durham.gov.uk and copy one of us in. Or you can write to: Spatial Policy, Rm 4/24-35, DCC, County Hall, DH1 5UL.

More information can be found on the Council website here:

http://durhamcc-consult.limehouse.co.uk/portal/planning/article4hmo

Lib Dem councillors attend Greenbelt protest in Durham City

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Cllr David Freeman, Cllr Nigel Martin and I attended the County Plan protest in the Durham Market Place today. It was well attended with some good speeches.

I have arranged a meeting with the Head of Planning this coming week to get to the bottom of how the Council plans to proceed now that it has managed to get around the Inspector’s decision to reject the County Plan.

As I see it there are a number of ways the Council could deal with this:

1. Put out an alternative County Plan in a few months for “consultation” and then ignore every view which comes back – as it has done throughout the process.

2. Arrange proper consultation sessions before producing ANY proposals and then produce an alternative plan without taking account of residents proposals – less likely but wouldn’t surprise me.

3. Arrange proper consultation on the areas of the plan which the Inspector and residents disagreed with – before producing a proposal, including the changes residents want and publish the alternative plan – how it should be done but almost certainly will not happen!

Whatever happens you can be sure it will be Lib Dem councillors standing up for our World Heritage City against a Labour-run council which so far has completely and utterly ignored the views of the vast majority of residents from Durham City and the surrounding villages.

Safer access to the Arnison Centre – after Lib Dem intervention

I have always thought the Mercia side of the Arnison Centre was one of the daftest designed car parks around. Some months back we asked the owners if they could sort out the entrance where just about everyone caught their wheel on the edge of the kerb. I am pleased to confirm that some weeks back this work was completed and it is now that little bit safer to access the Centre, even if it is still a congested carpark.
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Council pollution failures

As reported in the Echo today, Durham County Council has for many years now been failing to get to grips with pollution problems in Durham City:

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/local/northdurham/durham/13782692.Council_blasted_over__quot_too_little_too_late_quot__response_to_air_pollution/

Ever noticed when the council has a good news story a Labour politician comments. When its a bad new story its always an officer. That way you can always blame someone else! Total lack of political leadership.

County Plan demonstration this Saturday in Market Place

The friends of Durham Greenbelt are calling for a big turn-out this Saturday at noon in the market place.

The Council has managed to get a deal for a new examination in public on the County Plan. This means that the City is now at risk again from over development.

If you feel strongly that Durham should not be turned into a concrete jungle, make sure you turn up on Saturday morning. The more people are there, the less chance the Council can ignore the views of residents.

Please pass this message on through social media and word of mouth.

Footpath replacement work finished and underway

In recent months we have had to put pressure on to get repairs in our area. I had to chase up on the footpath leading into Abbey Road industrial estate which was down to the sub-base, falling to bits. Work has started this week to fix it. (Although the traffic lights are a bit of a problem, interfering with the horrendous parking farther down the road.)

In Newton Hall, a good job has been done to replace some awful flagstone paths following our intervention on Farnham Road:

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Pity Me Planning Application thrown out by committee

The postage stamp piece of land at the entrance to Pity Me already has planning permission for five houses – over development in itself.

A new application came in for six houses. I asked for it to go to committee following more residents complaints to me and today attended and spoke against the application.

I have to say that I didn’t expect much, but was shocked to find a unanimous 11-0 vote against the application.

So once in a while spending hours preparing to challenge an application does pay off – although I imagine the applicant could chose to appeal the decision.

Still that’s one problem sorted for today at least.

Abbey Road safety deteriorates further – Council still says its safe

Problem parking on Abbey Road has now passed the point of being dangerous.

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As I have previously mentioned a traffic order has been secured following our intervention but this is going to take time for yellow lines to be implemented.

For the last two weeks parking near the garages and NWL has reached very dangerous proportions with now 20 cars parked in a line at one point.

Senior council officers have told me that this is not dangerous. Here are comments from some residents. Apologies for the language but I think it conveys the severity of the situation. If you read my previous post on this, you will see my more detailed explanation from last week and comments from a Council officer, who whilst I am sure would’t mind being named, I feel it appropriate to keep him anonymous for now. previous post click here

UPDATE: As well as contacting the press I have also raised the issue with the portfolio holder Cllr Stephens and the police and crime commissioner Ron Hogg.

Residents comments:

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Please can you shed any light as to why all of a sudden Abbey Road is flooded with parked cars on booth sides of the road.  I have just returned from shops at the arnison centre and I have narrowly avoided being hit by a Bus approaching me on the wrong side of the road! The problem seems to be getting worse. This evening the fact a lorry leaving one of the garages made the matter worse. It was unable to manoeuvre safely as a row of cars had parked opposite the access road. I strongly feel that if this parking issue is not addressed ASAP unfortunately there will be a serious accident.

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My son can’t get out of Smithfield as a low loader is straddled across the entrance to the road. The reason ? The vehicle can’t move because of the congestion further to the east of the turning. He has an important business appointment, he’s self employed. Consequence is xxxxxxxx are trading and my son can’t!!! Another missive to relay the powers that be !!
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Thanks for the prompt reply. You have made good progress. This morning. (I walk the dog along to The Carrs) there are 21 cars. They stretch over 100 metres. Those who think it isn’t dangerous for buses, wagons, trailers and Sainsbury/Asda etc delivery vehicles to scrape through the “middle lane” are deluded.

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It is an absolute cheek that such behaviour is not being tackled by the council. Your efforts in persuading the council they are wrong are appreciated.

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I was driving along Abbey Road towards Pity Me the other day and came across the cars on the bend and I thought, what the****. From what I could see the way was clear,so overtaking with caution I proceeded along until suddenly a large van came hurtling towards me. How we scraped past each other I will never know? I will tell you this ****,I thought I was going to have a second heart attack!!.
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They will wait till some one is killed that is the council for you waste of space

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Library internet down

I have received reports that the Council’s wireless internet access in libraries was down all day yesterday. Today, I have reports that the wired connections are down in Durham, Crook and elsewhere. Hopefully the council will get this sorted quickly as a lot of people rely on this service.