Plans to change the trading venue for a popular County Durham car boot sale have been submitted to the council.
Plans, submitted by Nobles Promotions Ltd, propose relocating the Seaham Hall car boot sale to the north of the existing parking area at Seaham Hall Farm for a period of up to 10 years.
The move is necessary to allow work by the National Grid as part of the Eastern Green Link 1 project, aimed at strengthening the electricity network between Scotland and England.
The intention is to return the car boot sale to its original location once the National Grid's work is complete.
The pre-development biodiversity value of the site was calculated on February 21, and a biodiversity metric calculation has been submitted with the application.
Mitigation or offsetting measures have been deemed necessary to achieve a net gain.
Proposals align with Policy 10 of the County Durham Plan, which permits certain economic developments in the countryside.
Although the site is within the Green Belt, the proposal is considered a temporary, low-impact change of use.
An ecological survey identified the presence of protected species and designated sites within a 2 km radius of the site.
The application includes a Biodiversity Net Gain assessment, and additional mitigation measures may be required.
Seaham Hall car boot sale will operate only in dry weather to prevent damage to the land.
A Transport Statement, submitted as part of the application, concluded that the temporary relocation would not have a material impact on local traffic. The busiest periods may see a minor increase in traffic at one of the existing access points.
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The site is classified as Grade 3a agricultural land, recognised as good quality.
However, the temporary nature of the development ensures there will be no permanent loss of the land's agricultural status.
Application forms are currently awaiting a decision from Durham County Council, which is expected in the coming weeks.
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