This week, councillors nodded through amended plans from Persimmon Homes Durham for land north of Coaley Lane, Newbottle. While the developer has planning permission for 130 homes on the site, it launched a fresh bid with Sunderland City Council to extend this by 11. A final decision on the plan was made by the authority’s area Development Control Sub-Committee this week (March 19). A planning report, presented to councillors at Sunderland Civic Centre, said 14 three-bedroom affordable homes will be provided on the site. When completed, vehicles and pedestrians will be able to access the site from Blind Lane. However, Coun Mel Speding asked why a roundabout wasn’t considered for the estate, similar to the Miller Homes development on the former Lambton Cokeworks site. “Blind Lane was subject to a 60mph limit,” he said. “Shiney Row ward councillors, as you remember, campaigned long and hard to get the area reduced to a 40mph, with that was the inclusion of the roundabout into Miller Homes. “I can’t understand now with the increase in homes, why we will be exposing traffic accessing this site from a direct right turn across oncoming traffic when it possibly should have been a roundabout.” He added:”Simply there has been and there will be an increase of traffic on that road.” However, council officers said the extra 11 homes would not warrant a change to the Blind Lane access. Persimmon Homes already has planning permission for 147 properties off Coaley Lane which are in the last stage of construction. After surveys, the developer agreed to carry out ecology works to the Russell Wood north of the site which are due to be completed by June. Paul Hunt, speaking on behalf of Persimmon Homes, said the plans would provide areas of open space with funds also provided a part of a section 106 agreement. This will include contributions towards affordable housing, education and play space. “The site is highly sustainable in its location and the proposal will result in a high-quality, visually attractive development which will help boost the supply of housing and meet more closely with the identified housing needs of the area,” he said. While Sunderland’s Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) made a request for £98,400 towards health services in the area it was knocked back by planners due to lack of evidence. The meeting heard that the council was looking to work with CCG to develop evidence to help secure funding in future developments. Chris Binding , Local Democracy Reporting Service