ACORN North East region

ACORN's North East region contains the Newcastle-upon-Tyne branch, as well as many other members in other towns and cities, all fighting campaigns on the issues that matter to them. Join in with an action near you so we can win.

We are stronger together.

ACORN's North East region contains the Newcastle-upon-Tyne branch, as well as many other members in other towns and cities, all fighting campaigns on the issues that matter to them. Join in with an action near you so we can win.

We are stronger together.

Durham County Council, save Apollo Bingo Hall! Keep community spaces in Durham!

12 emails sent

Our demands are clear, the County Council must: reject the proposal as it stands, only accept further plans if they include better options for, and chosen by, the local community, and make the planning consultation process more accessible to members of the local community by finding out what methods of consultation work for them.

Join us in our collective action to keep community spaces in Durham, and exploitative accommodation providers out!

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I am writing to you in support of the demands of Durham-based members of the community union ACORN regarding Andrew Maher’s planning application to demolish Apollo Bingo Hall and build a four-storey private student accommodation block in its place (reference number DM/21/01611/FPA). The plans have been met by widespread opposition in the local community and by bingo hall users, whose remaining community spaces are under attack from property developers.

The private student accommodation block offers no benefit to the local community, and will breach numerous local and national policies, particularly:
Policy 16 – Durham University Development, Purpose Built Student Accommodation and Houses in Multiple Accommodation, 
Policy 29 – Sustainable Design, and
National Planning Policy Framework paragraph 127.

The building has been used since the 1930s as a much-loved leisure facility and an overwhelming number of local residents told ACORN that they want their treasured community space to stay. Although Majestic Bingo is pulling out from Apollo Bingo Hall, it’s clear from the comments already submitted to the planning portal that the community wants the space to be used in a manner that would benefit all. As it stands, no part of Andrew Maher’s plans reflects this.

The space could be used for affordable accommodation or social housing for the use of both students and non-students. Policy 16, paragraph 5.144 in the County Durham plan states that new student accommodation ‘should not be built at the expense of general housing, as the council must address the need for more family and affordable housing’. The argument for more student accommodation developments is unconvincing. As Durham University’s website states, there is already “no shortage” of accommodation in the area (https://www.dur.ac.uk/accommodation.office/ [accessed 14/08/2021]). Though the site is not currently housing, the bingo hall is of greater benefit to the community than private student accommodation. Additionally, the proposed accommodation would have small rooms and no green spaces.

Residents have also voiced a number of concerns about the effect of dense student accommodation on the safety, privacy, and amenity of the local area. Paragraph 5.284 of policy 29 of the County Durham Plan on sustainable design states “A high quality built environment should consider the amenity of both existing and future residents and consideration should be given to matters of privacy, outlook, natural lighting [...]”. The domineering design of the accommodation will dramatically change the amenity of the local area, particularly for the residents living in the bungalows directly behind the site on Mill House Court. Please refer to the submission by the Gilesgate Residents’ Information for more information about this.

We implore the council and the developers to consider the needs and desires of those living in the area in future proposals, as per paragraph 127 of the National Planning Policy Framework, and ask the County Council planning committee to: 
Reject Andrew Maher’s proposals as they stand.
Only accept further plans if they include better options for, and chosen by, the local community.
Make the planning consultation process more accessible to members of the local community by finding out and implementing what methods work for them.

Please consult the planning portal to hear the views of local people on the best way forward for their community.

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