Resident Guidance
New County Durham Plan – Have Your Say
Durham County Council is preparing a new County Durham Plan following its five-year review, changes to national planning policy and increased Government housing requirements.
The Local Plan guides where new homes, employment sites, roads, schools, community facilities and infrastructure may go, and how the environment and heritage will be protected.
Through the Call for Sites, landowners have suggested possible development sites. In Hunwick these include West End, Lower Village Green / Front Street, Rough Lea, Dyson / Church Lane and Quarry Farm Close.
Because a Landowner has submitted a site does not mean it will be allocated for development.
What is happening at the moment?
There are two linked but separate processes underway.
1. Scoping Consultation (Open Now)
Residents are invited to comment on the priorities, objectives and themes for the new Local Plan. These will help shape how potential development sites are assessed.
2. Site Assessments
The Council is assessing all Call for Sites submissions to understand their opportunities, constraints and suitability.
Site assessments are expected to continue until spring 2027, when the draft Plan and any proposed site allocations will be published for consultation.
A further consultation on the proposed Plan is expected during autumn or winter 2027. At this stage you will have another opportunity to comment on the planning policy and any proposed site allocations.
How to Take Part in the Current Scoping Consultation
Local residents are encouraged to take part because the Plan’s themes and objectives will influence how future development is assessed. By taking part you can influence how future development sites are assessed even though no site allocations have yet been made.
The deadline for responses for this first consultation is Monday 17 August 2026.
You can respond in one of two ways:
- Complete the County Durham Plan Scoping Consultation, which includes the full consultation document and all survey questions.
https://placemaker.durham.urbanintelligence.co.uk/p/document/3
- Many residents will find the shorter Residents’ Survey easier to complete, a shorter and less technical questionnaire covering the main issues.
https://placemaker.durham.urbanintelligence.co.uk/p/document/9%20
You will need to register online so your comments are formally recorded and considered.
- Alternatively, printed copies of the Residents’ Survey and information pack are available on request from any County Durham library
- If you need the information in another format or require assistance taking part, email [email protected].
Community Guidance
If and how you respond to the consultation is a personal decision. However, Hunwick does not have a Parish Council so you cannot rely on someone or some organisation looking after your interests or putting your views forward.
This meeting has been convened to make sure that you are aware of what is happening, what it might mean for the village and what you can do.
When you provide your responses to the consultation, you might want to consider supporting the following themes which might help ensure future development is sustainable and appropriate for Hunwick.
- Focus most new development in main towns, where services and infrastructure already exist.
- Protect green spaces, countrysideand landscapes by prioritising brownfield sites over greenfield land.
- Maintain strong transport policies so development is located where public transport and roads can cope.
- Reuse existing buildings and empty homes before allowing unnecessary greenfield development.
- Protect biodiversity, including wildlife, habitats, trees and the wider natural environment.
- Maintain robust flood-risk policies so future development manages drainage and flood risk properly.
- Ensure sufficient school capacity. The Plan should consider whether schools such as Hunwick Primary can accommodate additional pupils generated by significant housing growth.
- Ensure adequate healthcare provision, including GP capacity, before major housing growth.