New Communities

Sniperley Park

Project Details

Client
Theakston Land
Location
Durham, County Durham
Year
2022 – present
Services
Masterplanning

Overview

Sniperley forms Durham’s northern expansion area with an allocation for 1700 new homes alongside education, local centre, community and associated active travel infrastructure.

The allocation is split into two separate landowners – our client Theakston Land being the majority owner and Bellway Homes being the minority owner, both promoting separate planning applications.

Reviewing the masterplan

We were first instructed in 2022 to review the masterplan for Theakston Land’s proposal which was on a path to refusal with County Durham’s Planning Department for a variety of reasons Including masterplanning and design quality. Our audit led to scheme changes and (working with a wider professional team) led to changes to the movement strategy, local centre, approach to character and open space.

This audit led to a fresh planning application for 1550 dwellings which complemented a parallel planning application by Bellway for 370 dwellings. We prepared a Strategic Design Code, which was strongly supported by Officers, however members refused the appilcation (and separately Beilway’s applications) due to a perceived lack of comprehensive masterplanning between the separate applications.

The outcome

We gave masterplanning and urban design expert evidence at a Secretary of State recovered appeal in early 2024 to demonstrate how Infrastructure and facilities could be delivered in a comprehensive fashion across both applications such that the quality of the place and its facilities was not compromised.

The Secretary of State permitted the appeals (Theakston Land outline for 1550 dwellings and Bellway outline for 370 dwellings / hybrid for 368 dwellings) confirming that the applications formed a comprehensive and sustainable development with specific reference to the Infrastructure Delivery Plan we prepared.