The Area Planning Committee (Central and East) of Durham County Council met on Tuesday 8 September 2026. The primary business of the meeting was to consider a planning application for a change of use at an industrial estate in Peterlee.

Change of Use at North East Industrial Estate, Peterlee

The committee was scheduled to consider an application for a change of use at 2 North East Industrial Estate, Stephenson Road, Peterlee, SR8 5AY. The proposal involved converting an industrial unit into an indoor sports facility, specifically for 6 padel courts and 1 pickleball court, with associated toilet facilities and a new access.

The report pack indicated that the site is located within an established industrial estate and is protected for B1, B2, and B8 uses under the County Durham Plan (CDP). The proposed change of use falls under the new Use Class E. The applicant relied on criteria within CDP Policy 2, which allows for non-employment uses on protected employment sites if certain conditions are met. This included demonstrating that the site had been marketed for 12 months or that the proposed use would not compromise the main use of the site for B class uses and would comply with CDP Policy 9 regarding the retail hierarchy and town centre development.

The applicant provided a Sequential Test and Impact Assessment, stating that no suitable units of sufficient size, height, or configuration were identified within Peterlee town centre or edge-of-centre locations. The assessment concluded that the proposed development, due to the specific requirements of padel courts, could not be accommodated in conventional leisure or commercial sites without substantial alterations. Officers were satisfied that this assessment met policy requirements and that the proposal would not adversely impact the town centre or the industrial estate.

Concerns were raised regarding potential noise from the padel courts, with an applicant-submitted Noise Impact Assessment outlining mitigation measures. A condition was proposed to ensure the development adhered to these measures.

The report also noted that Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) was not a requirement for this application as it involved a change of use within an existing building footprint and did not impact any habitat.

The report recommended that the application be approved, subject to conditions including the submission of a parking scheme, restriction of the use to padel and pickleball courts only, and adherence to the noise mitigation measures outlined in the Noise Impact Assessment.