County Durham
313 applications in the last 12 months · Analysis updated 07 Jun 2026 · Medium confidence
County Durham — 275 applications in 12 months; Article 4 status unconfirmed, verify with council.
Outer North East England, mixed suburban and semi-rural stock, lower density than urban cores.
no Article 4 restriction is recorded in our data (verify directly with the local authority) in our records; modest application volume (275 received) suggests moderate development pressure; verify HMO restrictions with Durham County Council directly.
Insufficient data for a confident read — approval rates, refusal patterns, and HMO-specific regulatory stance not available in our dataset.
ASTOR UNDERWRITING UNIT // AI SYNTHESIS // VERIFY WITH COUNCIL BEFORE ACTING
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Investment Grade
A: select with confidence · B: selectable with discipline · C: case-by-case · D: avoid unless exceptional
County Durham operates a permissive, fast-track regime (96% approval, 4w median) with zero Article 4 restrictions, creating a rare bridge-friendly environment. HMO conversion boom underway; major residential schemes and change of use remain untested — policy risk high.
| Type | Count | Decided | Approval | Avg weeks | Risk | Investor notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other (Mixed Minor Types)
1 withdrawal (1% rate) suggests minor admin friction · Heterogeneous category limits predictability · Limited appeal history
|
95 | 12 | 92% | 4.1 | low |
Stable category. Low risk, fast processing. Includes minor applications.
|
| Residential Extension / Householder
Small sample (4 decided) — confidence medium · No refusals observed · Sub-6w median excellent for retailers
|
43 | 4 | 100% | 5.2 | low |
100% approval, 5.2w avg. Safe segment for extension work.
|
| Discharge of Condition
Small sample but 100% approval · Fast turnaround enables exit velocity · No refusal pattern detected
|
37 | 6 | 100% | 4.3 | low |
Reliable discharge pathway. 4.3w median, zero refusals. Post-grant compliance asset.
|
| HMO / House in Multiple Occupation
Zero decided applications — no approval track record · Tier 1 AI flagged 9 HMO conversions in last 30d, all pending · No Article 4 Direction verified, but national context suggests rising scrutiny
|
4 | 0 | 0% | — | unknown |
Active pipeline (9 pending). No historical data. High growth trajectory. Monitor closely.
|
| Change of Use
Zero decided — policy environment unclear · 4 apps pending, low volume · Historic underrepresentation suggests barriers or low demand
|
4 | 0 | 0% | — | unknown |
Minimal track record. Demand unclear. Likely subject to local plan restrictions.
|
| New Build Residential
Zero decided applications · 11 pending — suggests active interest or backlog · Major scheme risk profile unknown
|
11 | 0 | 0% | — | unknown |
Pipeline visible but no approvals yet. Viability & policy risk TBD.
|
| Tree Works
No decisions recorded — possible pending/withdrawn spike · Low risk category nationally · 3.3w median excellent
|
17 | 0 | 0% | 3.3 | low |
Pending workload, but historically low-risk. Support extension viability.
|
| Commercial / Retail / Food & Beverage
Zero decided — policy environment TBD · 13 pending, moderate interest · No historic approval/refusal data
|
13 | 0 | 0% | 3.3 | unknown |
Demand visible. No historical approvals. Policy risk profile unclear.
|