Plans for a huge housing development in the Hebburn area have been given the stamp of approval by borough councillors. South Tyneside Council’s Planning Committee, this week, approved plans from Barratt Homes North East for land east of Lukes Lane.
This included the erection of 127 new homes along with a new vehicular access point from Lukes Lane, associated infrastructure and landscaping. The undeveloped agricultural land earmarked for housing covers around 8.5 hectares, with new homes proposed to the western part of the site and sustainable drainage and a wildlife habitat to the east.
All homes were proposed to be two storeys in height with a mix of ten two-bed houses, 77 three-bed houses and 40 four-bed houses. Councillors on the Planning Committee previously raised concerns about the housing scheme in terms of increased traffic and congestion and voted to defer the plans to seek more information from planning officers.
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At the most recent meeting of the decision-making panel on Monday, November 21, at South Shields Town Hall, the housing plans were approved by a majority vote. Council planning officers, recommending the scheme for approval, confirmed there were no objections from local and national highways experts subject to conditions.
Council planners added the scheme’s benefits, including the delivery of new housing, would outweigh impacts including the loss of allocated employment land. Councillor Geraldine Kilgour, who led calls for the plans to be approved, noted the scheme would deliver “biodiversity net gain” and 20% affordable housing, as well as reducing pressure for development on Green Belt sites elsewhere in the borough.
However some councillors on the committee raised concerns, with councillor Paul Brenen asking for a decision on the housing to be delayed until Central Government strategy around development becomes clearer. Councillor Wilf Flynn disputed arguments from council officers that there were enough school places in the area to meet the demands of new housing and that developer contributions towards education were not required.
Councillor Paul Dean also repeated concerns about impacts on the wider highways network as well as questioning council planners about public transport availability, the impacts of increased HGVs during construction and the level of opposition from local residents. Council planners, speaking at the planning meeting, said eight public objections were not classed as a “substantial amount” given the scale of the plans and compared to other borough housing developments.
After being put to the vote, the housing scheme was approved by borough councillors, with seven votes in favour and three against. The approval is subject to the completion of a legal agreement securing cash and other measures from developers to make the scheme acceptable.
This includes the provision of 20% affordable housing, funding for off-site street lighting and £288,000 to secure “compensatory grassland or other suitable habitat off-site” in South Tyneside. Other aspects include developers meeting council costs to implement a 20mph speed limit within the development site and on Lukes Lane between its junction with Holmes Drive and its junction with the main site access.
The proposed affordable homes on site would also be a mix of First Homes, affordable rented and discount market value. A spokesperson for Barratt Developments North East , said: “We’re pleased with the outcome of today’s planning meeting.
“The approval will enable us to provide much-needed high-quality family homes for local residents, a quarter of which will be affordable housing. The construction works will create 120 jobs for local people. Alongside the new housing, we have plans to secure a 20mph speed limit, and to install road humps and new street lighting to improve road safety for local residents. There will also be wider cycle lanes and footpaths.
“We will also contribute over £280,000 to secure an area of greenspace that will enable local wildlife to flourish. We look forward to meeting the need for housing and contributing to the local community.”
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