5 Palmer Road, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, DL5 5EJ

5 Palmer Road, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, DL5 5EJ — Durham County Council — Appeal Decision Site visit made on 6 November 2025 by R Gravett BA(Hons) DipTP MRTPI an Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State Decision date: 4th December 2025 Appeal Ref: APP/X1355/W/25/3369210 5 Palmer Road, Newton Aycliffe, Durham DL5 5EJ • The appeal is made under section 78 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) against a grant of planning permission subject to conditions. • The appeal is made by Rebecca Hepple against the decision of Durham County Council. • The application Ref DM/25/00374/FPA was approved on 2 May 2025 and planning permission was granted subject to conditions. • The development permitted is retention of single storey side extension. • The condition in dispute is No 2 which states that: Notwithstanding the submitted plans, the render colour of the external walls of the extension hereby approved shall be painted a cream colour and shall be completed within 2 months from the date of this permission. • The reason given for the condition is: In the interests of the visual amenity of the surrounding areas in accordance with Policy 29 of the County Durham Plan and Part 12 of the National Planning Policy Framework. Decision 1.

5 Palmer Road, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, DL5 5EJ — Durham County Council — Appeal Decision The appeal is allowed and the planning permission Ref DM/25/00374/FPA for retention of single storey side extension at 5 Palmer Road, Newton Aycliffe, Durham DL5 5EJ granted on 2 May 2025 by Durham County Council, is varied by deleting condition 2. Background and Main Issue 2. Planning permission was granted in May 20251 (‘the planning permission’) for the retention of a side extension to the appeal property, which had not been constructed in accordance with the approved plans of an earlier planning permission granted in July 2022.2 Condition 1 of the planning permission specifies the approved plans. Condition 2 requires that the render of the external walls of the extension be painted a cream colour within two months of the date of the decision. The extension has been painted a grey colour and accordingly, the removal of condition 2 is sought to regularise this. 3. Therefore, the main issue is whether condition 2 is necessary, relevant to planning and to the development permitted, enforceable, precise and reasonable in all other respects, having regard to the character and appearance of the area. Reasons 4. 5 Palmer Road (No 5) is a red brick-built dwelling, with a buff-coloured pointing.

5 Palmer Road, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, DL5 5EJ — Durham County Council — Appeal Decision It is situated at one end of a short terrace of dwellings which splays away from 1 DM/25/00374/FPA 2 DM/22/01387/FPA https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate

5 Palmer Road, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, DL5 5EJ — Durham County Council — Appeal Decision It is situated at one end of a short terrace of dwellings which splays away from 1 DM/25/00374/FPA 2 DM/22/01387/FPA https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate

5 Palmer Road, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, DL5 5EJ — Durham County Council — Appeal Decision Appeal Decision APP/X1355/W/25/3369210 Palmer Road on its western side. The surrounding area is predominantly residential in character consisting of two-storey terraced dwellings, bungalows and blocks of two or three-storey dwellings. These are typically built in a red brick, are rendered, or are a combination of brick and render. On my site visit, I observed various colours of render including shades of white, cream, buff and grey. 5. The front building line of the adjacent terrace is set closer to the road than No 5 and it therefore obscures views of the extension from Gilpin Road, and from the northern end of Palmer Road. 6. In close-by views from Palmer Road, the blue-toned grey colour of the extension contrasts with the red-brick of the host dwelling. However, although limited to small elements of neighbouring dwellings, there is nevertheless some variation in the colour and tone of materials on this side of Palmer Road. The extension is seen alongside the grey boundary fence of 4 Palmer Road, and the dark grey and burnt red painted brickwork of part of the front elevations of 6 and 7 Palmer Road. 7.

5 Palmer Road, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, DL5 5EJ — Durham County Council — Appeal Decision From the south, the extension is also viewed alongside the yellow coloured rendered gable of the host terrace and the beige pebbledash finish of Gilpin Court, which is on the opposite side of Palmer Road. 8. Whilst a cream-coloured render may be considered more complementary to the red-brick and buff-coloured pointing of its host, I did not find the grey colour of the extension to be a stark contrast, or an unduly prominent or incongruous addition to the street scene. Despite the extent of the render, the grey colour of the extension assimilates with the varied colour and tone of materials in the surrounding area. 9. The Council has referred to an appeal decision3 where a similar condition was imposed which required a specific colour finish for external surfaces. However, elements of the scheme are significantly different to that before me, including its location within a conservation area and the surrounding context. As such, it does not alter my findings above. 10. Therefore, I conclude that condition 2 is not necessary, as without it there would be no harm to the character and appearance of the area.

5 Palmer Road, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, DL5 5EJ — Durham County Council — Appeal Decision Consequently, there would be no conflict with Policy 29 of the County Durham Plan (2020) insofar as it requires all development proposals to achieve well designed buildings which contribute positively to an area’s character. 11. For the reasons given above, I conclude that the appeal is allowed. I will vary the planning permission by deleting the disputed condition.

5 Palmer Road, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, DL5 5EJ — Durham County Council — R Gravett INSPECTOR 3 APP/X5990/D/23/3330328 https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate 2