Taylor Wimpey insists more new homes needed in West Durham

Housebuilder Taylor Wimpey is urging Durham County Council to almost double the supply of planned new homes in West Durham by 2030 in order to make it a more "attractive place to live".

A new draft of The County Plan, a council proposal for the future of West Durham, proposes the construction of 850 new homes in the region, but Taylor Wimpey is asking the council to increase this to around 1,700 properties.

In Barnard Castle, for example, the council is planning to appoint developers to build 400 new homes in the next 19 years. However, Taylor Wimpey insists that this figure should be closer to around 800 new houses and apartments in order to ensure that the local area becomes a "thriving" district. The developer wants to see the main town expanded to accommodate more residents.

The development firm fears that Barnard Castle will fall into decline unless the council improves "the wider sustainability of the town".

Taylor Wimpey added: "Taylor Wimpey considers that Barnard Castle is well located and highly accessible and that the council's misconceptions about the merits of the town as a location for growth are one of the key reasons why the town has not flourished as much as it could have in recent years."