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.