We need you to object again

It’s been approximately 9 months since Par Petroleum submitted their planning application to develop the Green Belt opposite and expand their Fuel storage and distribution site at the north entrance to the Chesters Wood Estate. This application resulted in nearly 300 people taking the time to personally object to these plans which slowed down the planning process somewhat. These objections contained many valid and strong reasons why this development should not be allowed to go ahead. A number of groups and organisations also objected to these plans including our local MP Kevan Jones, Local Councillor Audrey Willis, the Parish Council and the Local Labour Party group.

Since then Par Petroleum have been working closely with Durham County Council Planning team and they have now produced another application which apparently addresses all of the concerns of the ‘objectors’ – they have simply reduced the size of the extension. Par Petroleum, in their application also describe the need to expand as it will create an additional 7 jobs (there is no mention of how this development may affect people who run their own business from home who live on the estate) and interestingly now emphasise that as the site opened in 1991 and the estate wasn’t built until 2001 that ‘they were here first’ so our concerns are irrelevant.

However our original views still stand:

• They are expandIng the site into the green belt
•  Health and safety - the risk
• Road Infrastructure/drains-flooding
• Screening/lighting
• Etc…

Importantly you will also know that the road directly outside of the area they are planning to build on has flooded on at least four occasions during the summer and Autumn  - the last time made Tyne Tees news because of the size and depth of the water.  Their application talks about the sewers being able to cope with a 1 in a 100 year flood – well by Andrew and my reckoning we have had a 1in a 400 year, 1 in a 300 year, 1 in a 200 year and 1 in 100 year flood in the space of about 4 months!!! Basically what we are saying is that the drains can’t cope with much more of a trickle of water yet they are planning to build a huge concreted area which will be designed to drain the water off into these drains.

Letters have been sent out by the Council (you should have received one in the post by now if you are on the Councils distribution list) to ask for further views of local residents with a closing date of February 1^st - this week.

Yet again we need as many people as is possible to contact the Case Officer Steve France to register their concerns so that he, the Panning Team and others within the Council understand that we do not want this site to expand in any shape or form and that we take this as far as is possible until the application from Par Petroleum is defeated.