Results May 2025: Old School Site – Parking/Land Swap Consultation
Coxhoe Parish Council recently consulted on a potential land swap to increase parking in Coxhoe. The results are now available, along with responses to frequently asked questions.
Published: 18 May 2025
You can see the original consultation here.
Results
FAQ’s – Responses
There are too many houses and not enough infrastructure to support.
Durham County Council, as the planning authority, have policies in place to secure contributions from developers to support the infrastructure impacted by additional housing. The Government will require all planning authorities to increase future housing supply by 50%, on top of what is proposed by 2035. The Parish Council can lobby for decisions or policies, and will fight for what residents deserve, and what they believe is fair. (See recent correspondence here, as Coxhoe Parish Council continue to campaign for fair S106 contributions.)
Coxhoe Parish Council continue to work with Durham County Council, and an expert planning consultant, on the development of a Neighbourhood Plan, based on the views of residents.
This consultation included a site plan; therefore, this is already a ‘done deal’.
During previous consultations we received feedback that residents found it difficult to establish their view point without a mock-up. In response to your feedback, we this time asked the developer to provide a rough plan of how the development could look, to enable residents to envision the proposal.
As with all previous consultations (which were re-published alongside this one, here), the Parish Council will continue to listen residents.
Could the parking spaces be moved to accommodate parking in one area, and allow green space for grazing?
This was discussed with the developer at the drop-in consultation 9th May 2025, and they agreed to reconsider the development layout.
Coxhoe does not need more parking and you will charge to park there.
The Parish Council are considering parking initiatives as lack of parking is the most common complaint we receive from business owners, residents, and visitors.
Charges for parking has not been discussed, and is not in place on any other Parish Council owned car park.
Why would you allow new housing in return for a car park?
The housing application will be assessed by the planning authority, Durham County Council, and the Parish Council do not have a vote. A planning application for housing will be submitted by the developer, on their land, regardless, and Coxhoe Parish Council are sharing with residents the opportunity presented also including use of some Parish Council land for community gain in the process.
The main road is already too busy, and new housing and a car park will cause more congestion.
Durham County Council Highways Department are responsible for assessing access to roads from new developments, and will have the final say as part of the planning process on whether this is safe and feasible.
This development is proposed on private land and the Parish Council cannot seize land that is privately owned.
The Parish Council cannot and are not proposing to seize private land. The consultation and proposed land swap include land owned by the prospective developer, and land owned by the Parish Council.
It is clear the Parish Council just want rid of the land, and will agree to housing just to see it gone.
The Parish Council are unable to agree to housing applications, as this is decided by the planning authority, Durham County Council.
The road leading to Parish Council owned land is owned by a private developer, and will inevitably be developed with either residential or commercial properties. Once this happens, this area would be land-locked, and any opportunity to increase highly requested amenities would not be possible. Coxhoe Parish Council are seeking your views on making use of this land, before this stage is reached.
The Parish Council have resolved to re-appeal to the doctor’s surgery, to again address the issues raised on capacity and location.
The land swap is a good deal for the developer who will make money from housing and the land should be independently assessed to establish asset value.
Coxhoe Parish Council would ensure like-for-like value swap, and will engage a surveyor to evaluate the land in question to secure best value. The cost of constructing the public car parking, an entry road to adoptable standard, and providing drainage and lighting, will also be factored in. The developer is also open to the opportunity to link a new drainage system for St Mary’s Churchyard, into the housing site drainage system, presenting an additional benefit to residents who are keen to see improvements in the Churchyard, and new rear access to properties on the Front Street for those who may want it.
We have already had consultations on this land and you have ignored what residents wanted. We voted for bungalows and a doctor’s surgery.
The Parish Council, as they are neither the developer nor the planning authority, can do little more than share the wants and needs expressed by residents. The results of all previous consultations were published alongside this consultation, here. Sadly, the proposed development that included bungalows and a doctor’s surgery did not go ahead due to legal land options expiring during Covid19, and increased costs which made that proposal unviable to the developers promoting the scheme at the time.
The Parish Council should clear the land, extend the Churchyard, and build a car park.
With the increase of cremation burials, St Mary’s Church estimate enough land for the next 30+ years.
Coxhoe Parish Council consulted on constructing a car park on Parish Council owned land. The cost of construction would have resulted in a tax increase for residents; therefore, we asked residents if this is what they wanted. This was voted against therefore discussions ceased. The results of this consultation were republished here as a reminder, alongside this consultation. This new proposal includes creation of public car parking and paid for by the developer, and therefore with no additional cost to the tax payer, and is different to the other scheme recently consulted upon.
Summary
As 59.4% of residents voted in favour of exploring parking provision via a land swap with the developer, Coxhoe Parish Council will now engage in negotiations and valuations, and will ask the developer to consider the feedback on the site layout. Further consultations will follow as plans progress, to ensure that the Parish Council, as a democratic authority, continue to negotiate as supported by residents.