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PLANS to turn council offices into flats and houses look likely to win planning permission, despite objections from the local MP.

The Durham Villages Regeneration Company, which is jointly owned by Durham City Council and developer Keepmoat, is seeking permission to build at Byland Lodge, in Hawthorn Terrace, near Durham City centre.

Byland Lodge is a Victorian villa set in its own grounds that housed council departments, including planning, until recently.

The site is within a conservation area.

The firm wants to convert the building into five two-bedroomed flats, demolish extensions that were built in the Sixties and build 22 houses, a flat and garages.

The houses would include three-storey homes with four bedrooms.

Labour MP Roberta Blackman- Woods has criticised the Liberal Democrat council's record on providing affordable housing and she is objecting to the planning application on those grounds.

She has told the council's planning officers that the absence of social housing is against national and local planning policies.

Head of planning Allan Simpson says, in a report to Wednesday's city council development control committee meeting, that the company states money raised by the development will help to pay for the city's new swimming pool and leisure centre.

"She (Dr Blackman-Woods) does not accept this, albeit worthy, cause as offsetting a need to address an affordable housing shortage in Durham.

"She also goes on to take issue with the applicants' contention that the type of accommodation offered by this scheme will restore balance to the area in terms of tenure, as so many properties in the neighbourhood have become student houses.

"Her conclusion is that this proposal is in direct conflict with national affordable housing guidelines and with the aspirations of the city council's own local plan in terms of affordable housing and therefore must be rejected.'' But Mr Simpson says money from the development will support the programme of renewal and investment "that makes a significant contribution to the provision of affordable housing overall''.

He points out that there are plans for 55 affordable homes in New Brancepeth and Ushaw Moor and that the council uses its planning policy on affordable housing "when appropriate''.

He says the applicants are a special case, justifying being made an exception to the policy that requires an element of affordable housing to be included in the development because of their contribution to other schemes.

11:04am Monday 9th June 2008

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