A Deerness Valley village
Parish registers suggest a settlement here from at least the 16th century, and for a long time it was farmland with a windmill. A drift mine, Ushaw Moor Colliery, opened in 1858. It was the scene of a long strike in 1881, changed hands in 1883 and closed in 1960. On the hill above the village, Ushaw College opened in 1808 as a Catholic seminary. It closed as a seminary in 2011 and reopened in 2014 as Ushaw Historic House, Chapels & Gardens.
Since the pit closed, Ushaw Moor has grown into the main village of the Deerness Valley, popular with first-time buyers for its links to Durham and Newcastle. The Deerness Valley Railway Path, an eight-mile walking and cycling route on the old railway line, runs through it. Main roads include Broom Lane (the B6302), Station Road, Durham Road and Whitehouse Lane. The village is in the Deerness ward and the Brandon and Byshottles parish.
Who lives in Ushaw Moor
The census area at the heart of the village (LSOA County Durham 031D) had 692 households in 2021:
- 56% lived in terraced houses, 27% in detached homes, 13% in semis and 3% in flats.
- 62% owned their home, 22% rented privately and 14% rented from a social landlord.
- 20% of households had no car or van, while 33% had two or more.
That mix means two very different driveway questions. On the terraces, the first check is whether there is room at all: a car needs to sit fully clear of the pavement, usually about 5 metres from the front wall to the back of the footway, and many terraces are shallower than that. Some have parking at the rear off a back lane instead, which can be a better place for a hard standing. On detached homes and the newer estates, the job is usually widening a single drive for a second car or replacing an old one.
Drives that suit Ushaw Moor homes:
- A hard standing at the back of a terrace, off the rear lane where access allows.
- A wider drive on a detached house or newer estate home with two or more cars.
- A replacement for a tired tarmac or concrete drive, with the base rebuilt.
- A permeable surface on a sloping plot, to slow water down before it reaches the road.
Slopes and ground
Ushaw Moor climbs north from the Deerness towards Bearpark and Ushaw College, so many frontages slope. On a sloping drive we plan the falls first, use a surface with grip such as block paving or tarmac, and put a channel drain across the low point if water would otherwise run towards the house or garage. Our sloping driveways guide explains the options.
The British Geological Survey maps the centre on glacial till over sandstone of the Pennine Middle Coal Measures. Till is firm but slow-draining, so we dig down to solid ground, lay a membrane and a compacted stone sub-base, and fix the edges in concrete.
The River Deerness
The Environment Agency's flood map shows areas of Flood Zone 2 and Flood Zone 3 within about 300 metres of the village centre, following the Deerness along the valley floor. Most homes on the slopes above are well clear, but if you are near the river, check your address on the flood map and choose a permeable surface so rainwater soaks in on your own plot.
Permissions
Planning. Planning data shows no conservation area in the village. The nearest listed building is the barn and farm buildings at Red House Farm (Grade II). A permeable drive on a house, or one that drains onto the garden, is permitted development. Impermeable paving over five square metres draining to the road needs planning permission.
The kerb. Durham County Council requires a licence for any new or extended vehicle crossing. The fee is £171, paid once a contractor is arranged and before work begins, and there is no fee if it is refused. Broom Lane is a B road, so the council will look closely at visibility. See our dropped kerbs page.
Renting. If you rent, get your landlord's written permission before planning anything.
What shapes the price in Ushaw Moor
We give a fixed quote after measuring up, rather than a price per square metre. In Ushaw Moor the cost depends most on:
- The gradient. Steeper plots need more careful falls, firm edge restraints and sometimes a retaining edge.
- Drainage. A channel drain and soakaway, or a permeable surface, on slow-draining till.
- Access. Rear lanes can be narrow, which affects how materials and machines get in.
- What comes out first. Breaking out old concrete or tarmac is often a large part of the job.
Places near Ushaw Moor
- Driveways in Neville's Cross: East towards the city, with semis and larger houses on the A167.
- Driveways in Brandon: South across the Deerness, a former colliery village of semis.
- Driveways in Framwellgate Moor: North-east of the city, with free-draining sandy ground.
Pages that help in Ushaw Moor: tarmacadam, block paved driveways, kerb dropping.
Full list of areas: Full list.
Questions people ask in Ushaw Moor
Can I have a drive in front of my terrace?
Only if the garden is deep enough for the car to sit clear of the pavement, usually about 5 metres, and the council approves a crossing. If not, a space at the rear off the back lane may work.
Is Ushaw Moor in a conservation area?
No. Planning data shows no conservation area in the village, so a permeable drive on a house does not need planning permission.
Is Ushaw Moor at risk of flooding?
Land along the River Deerness is in Flood Zones 2 and 3. Homes on the higher streets are generally clear, but check your own address on the Environment Agency map.
What surface suits a sloping drive in Ushaw Moor?
Block paving or tarmac give good grip on a slope. Gravel tends to wash downhill, so it is best kept for level plots.
Sources: ONS Census 2021, LSOA County Durham 031D (TS044, TS045, TS054 via Nomis); Wikipedia: Ushaw Moor; Planning Data: conservation areas and listed buildings; BGS Geology Viewer, 1:50,000; Environment Agency flood map for planning; Durham County Council: vehicle access over kerbs; GOV.UK: permeable surfacing of front gardens.