Friends of the Conservation Area

Friends of the Conservation Area

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STOP PRESS! NEW REPORT FROM ST LAURENCE CHURCH PUBLIC MEETING - SEE REVELANT PAGE!

This site is designed to focus on issues that affect the Middleton One Row Conservation Area. Our group was formed in 2008 and had some notable victories in persuading the local council to refuse planning permission for development. However, most of these decision have now been reversed by the Government's Planning Inspectorate - which has gone agaist the local wishes of residents and used subtle loopholes in planning rules to over rule Darlington Borough Council.

Since the General Election of 2010 the Government has revised planning guiance over 'garden grab' developments' - which our village is suffering from at a high rate compared to other areas of the North East.

Decentralisation Minister, Mr Greg Clark MP, made the annoucement in June 2010. Town halls have struggled to stop the trend as gardens have been classified as ''previously residential land'', making them brownfield sites in the same category as derelict factories and old railway sidings.

Mr Clark said he would be changing the designation of gardens from brownfield land to make it easier for local authorities to stop unwanted development, allowing them to reject planning applications for new houses and blocks of flats that local people oppose and which would ruin the character of the area.

The step, which he said would not affect people who wanted to build extensions on their homes, was welcomed by garden and wildlife organisations, include the Friends of the Conservation Area.

Our Mission

The Conservation Area in Middleton One Row is an important part of the villages of both Middleton St George and Middleton One Row (for definition of 'conservation area' and a plan see the campaign information and the diagram pages). It should keep the villages lookong beautiful and maintain the character and tranquility of local life. The Friends of the Conservation Area are local residents dedicated to ensuring the Conservation Area status is given due regard when decisions are taken about changes in the villages.

BACKGROUND

The Middleton One Row Conservation Area embraces an area from the River Tees to the heart of Middleton St George. For too long the conservation area has been ignored when the Council has made planning decisions. But now a group has been formed that is helping the local community to fight back.

Some of the conservation area friends made funds available to commission a professional report to provide legal and planning grounds to oppose the plans. This report is published in the 'Campaign Information' section in the form of our official response to the planning application on 63 Middleton Lane in 2008, however the arguments are valid for most intrusive development proposals in the Conservation Area

Local people have had enough of intensive development in the village and the time has come for a strong and professional defence of the
conservation area. There might be other threats to the conservation area that you feel strongly about, if so please contact us. The Friends of the Conservation Area is supported by our local Councillors Doris Jones and Steve York. The site is currently being run by local residents Graham Robb and David Sheen.

Becoming a Friend of the Conservation Area

We want to hear from people who value our conservation area, or from people elsewhere in the UK who have fought battles to support conservation areas. All your experience will be very useful. See the Contact Us page