Barratt secures go-ahead for 700 County Durham homes

The housebuilder received approval for two separate schemes at the most recent planning meeting and will be building 400 homes in Brandon and 299 in Spennymoor.

On land at Red Barns in Brandon, Barratt has full permission for 140 homes, outline permission for a further 260 homes, a 4,000 sq ft retail centre, and a mini-mobility hub designed to make it easier for people to connect between different modes of travel and reduce car-dependency.

The development will see Barratt Homes North East deliver a mix of two-bedroom bungalows as well as two, three, four and five-bedroom houses.

The project team includes Hedley Planning, and work is expected to start in February next year.

The 95-acre plot is located at the western edge of the settlement cluster of Brandon, Browney, and Meadowfield, and to the south of the A690.

Director Joe Ridgeon, Hedley, said: “Planning approval is welcome news, heralding high-quality homes and facilities in this part of County Durham.

“It will support job creation, the local supply chain and deliver a development that people can be proud of and look forward to creating a new community. This is a positive step for the area and we now look forward to seeing the development come to fruition.”

Over in Spennymoor, the 299-home expansion of the Whitworth Park estate has also been voted through, having been refused three times previously.

The application was last rejected in March over a lack of pedestrian and transport options within the site, which the council argued would lead to a reliance on cars.

This time, the council’s planning committee voted through the plans after being told the area has an outstanding housing need.

The project team includes DPP Planning, Pod Architects, and SLR carried out the landscape strategy.