A COMPANY director said it is ‘beyond unfair’ that a planning application he submitted was rejected, when a similar application for land nearby was approved.

John Edward, director of WPDC Limited, said he has tried unsuccessfully to get planning permission to build on land west of St Paul’s Garden in Witton Park, near Crook, since 1998.

The most recent application for outline permission to build 35 homes was rejected by councillors at a meeting of Durham County Council’s planning committee yesterday (Thursday 19).

However, an application for 32 homes and a retail unit for nearby land opposite Park Road was approved by councillors during the same meeting.

Mr Edward said: “It is totally beyond unfair that this application was refused when the other was approved. We have tried for years to get permission to build on this site. It’s totally arbitrary.”

His application was an amendment of a previous application also rejected in November 2013.

A statement submitted with the report said: “The proposed development would lie beyond the development limits of Witton Park, on land which has not previous been developed and where it would have a significant adverse impact on landscape and visual amenity.”

John Lavender of Plan Arch Design spoke at the meeting on behalf of Mr Edward. He said: “I am a frustrated planner. I always thought that planning could change things and create opportunities and I think this proposal does that.

“It is offering to create a positive change to Witton Park and its structure.”

The application was recommended for rejection by planning officers and councillor’s voted unanimously to follow the recommendation.

The approved application, submitted by Terry Jacques, gives permission for the development of 32 new homes, including detached, semi-detached and terraced houses, bungalows and apartments, as well as an 84sqm retail unit within the 0.94hectare agricultural field.

A statement from the report said: “This scheme does not include any public open space but it is not necessary given the existing provision in the immediate area.

“Overall, the proposal is considered to be a significant improvement to the indicative layout accompanying the outline approval.

“It is considered to be of an appropriate scale, design and layout, and would have an acceptable impact on the visual amenity surrounding area and character of the village.”

To view the applications visit publicaccess.durham.gov.uk/online-applications and search reference DM/14/03523/OUT for the rejected application, or DM/14/03438/FPA for the approved application.