The third edition of a rural affairs programmes produced by Tyne Tees Television that looks at the future of agricultural and the countryside as it heads towards the new millennium. In this episode presenter Eric Robson looks at housing development in the countryside. Are these new development despoiling the countryside and are any of them any good architecturally? Standing on a hillside Eric Robson introduces this edition of Farming 2000 by asking ‘what can be done with this landscape?’...

The third edition of a rural affairs programmes produced by Tyne Tees Television that looks at the future of agricultural and the countryside as it heads towards the new millennium. In this episode presenter Eric Robson looks at housing development in the countryside. Are these new development despoiling the countryside and are any of them any good architecturally? Standing on a hillside Eric Robson introduces this edition of Farming 2000 by asking ‘what can be done with this landscape?’ There are enough builders and developers who could tell us, and an equal number of environmentalist who would be against them building houses and home. But what is wrong with an ambition of owning our own little bit of ‘Laura Ashley and breezeblock’. Title: Farming 2000 A picture-postcard country village in Northumberland with traditional stone-built houses changes to a modern housing estate of similar but modern construction on the outskirts of said village with a man mowing his lawn. Surrounding the village fields with cattle grazing in them. Interview with Dr Mike Robinson of University of Northumbria who explains that many people believe in an idea of landscape that perhaps doesn’t exist, that they look to the countryside with an expectation of peace and quiet and tranquil beauty. He believes for many people they will see what they want to see in the landscape removed from its reality. He says that there is a part of the population that doesn’t want to see the destruction of the countryside, but it is always changing and evolving especially in the past 200 years. A phantom car ride through the village changing to a building site where more houses and under construction, a builder works on the roof. Sitting on a bench outside ‘The Queen’s Head’ public house in Great Whittington Eric speaks with Petra Biberbach from the Council for the Protection of Rural England. He begins by asking about the ‘British flaw’ of wanting to stop the clock in the 3rd quarter of the 18th century, about peoples desires to live ‘modern lives in an 18th century landscape’ and that organisations like hers are denying the countryside the chance to change. Eric asks her opinion about the quality of designs for these new houses offered by the major developers. Petra explains that since the boom of the 1980s housing designs have been poor because of lack of variety. She wants to see strong design standards introduced and that developers provide the right kind of design that fits with the local area. As they continue to chat a row of modern terraced houses and work men on a building site building more homes. At another development in North Yorkshire Eric Robson speaks with Patrick Earle from Richmondshire District Council about local planning policy. He states that there has been a ‘sea change’ within the planning system towards a conservation outlook and on developments that don’t damage the environment. The council works in close consultation with the architect on all levels of detail. They talk about the windows in the properties on this development which were of a specific design and the houses all needed to be stone facing. As they talk views of the development with several houses nearing completion while others are only partially built. Eric asked Patrick if it’s a bit of a ‘cop out’ to choose this ‘phony version of the 18th century’. He replies by saying these design of houses are well established and is known to work, it’s also easy as it doesn’t need to re-invent the wheel. In his Northumberland office, Architect Kevin Doonan works on the plans for a new house in the Georgian style. He speaks with Eric about the debates that is going on in the industry between those who wish to recapture the past in the 20th century and those who want to create 20th century design. Eric asks if restrictions in the planning process limit what can be designed, and the pressure planning officers can have on architect especially with regards reinterpreting designs or elements of those designs that don’t fit with the planners idea of the local vernacular. Kevin is aware of examples within Northumberland and Durham of new designs made with traditional materials has produced something that is of this century. A line of modern houses in a new Bellway Homes development in Northumberland made with traditional stone and sash windows. Nearby Eric asked Howard Dawe, Managing Director Bellway Homes if it is fair that he is characterised as a vandal despoiling the countryside. He says it’s easy for those in the Council Protection Rural England to criticize these developments, but he has to sell to his customers who are also his architects. If his company doesn’t build what people want, he won’t sell them. Eric makes the point that the design of these houses is nearly identical to similar developments in Surrey, Dorset or any other part of the country. Howard responds by saying that each division within the company is allowed to build to local character. He disagrees with comments made by the Council Protection Rural England that development such as these are destroying wildlife habitats, don't human beings deserve a decent habitat? Howard responds to criticism from architects that these properties are badly designed with little artistic input by saying he is pulling down buildings designed by these architects from the 1960s that were horrific. He also states that these are the houses people want, why should they be denied the choose. Another housing development under construction at Chollerford Mews in Holywell near Whitley Bay changes to a different development in Tynedale in Northumberland, where there is strong public support for local planning policy. Interview with Mike Smith from Tynedale Council who is asked what would happen if all planning controls were removed? He says that Tynedale would be swamped by people from outside the area that would destroy the countryside. At Riding Mill in Northumberland Eric speaks with Mary Wedderburn in the garden of her new bungalow. She talks about the stringent planning conditions placed on her property when it was built which, she was told, would be the last house built in the village along the green belt. However, on the other side of her hedge a new development of ten houses are under constructions. She is not happy and points out the properties which will now over looker hers, she believes it will change the village into suburbia. A sign pointing towards the housing development at Chollerford Mews and workmen and architects on site. Mike Smith from Tynedale Council talks about the difficulty in get any ‘major volume builder’ to change from a standard design if people are buying them. However, this creates an ‘any town development’ which wouldn’t feature any local designs particulars. Mike finds its hard to negotiate with local builders about such developments as if they don’t get their own way often they go to the Secretary of State with an appeal that, in general, they would win if it is felt the development is deemed ‘good enough’. The programme ends on Dr Mike Robinson again who states that with 80% of the population being urbanised and with 80% of the land being countryside there should be a right for both, it’s just a question of balance. However, he believes this would be practically impossible as we would always aspire to the green fields. On the hillside seen at the start of the programme Eric Robson provides details of the next programme in the series looking at Britain’s greatest ‘cash crop’ the tourist. Over the credits footage from that edition. Credit: Camera Simon Elphinstone Sound Ken Davison Electrician Alan Robinson Production Assistants Eileen Young Researchers Liz Woodward, Kevin Rountree Editor Charles Slater Director Malcolm Dickinson Producer/Director Bob Farnworth End credit: © Tyne Tees Television MCMXCV