Property developer Banks Group renews interest in building 220 new homes in Cambois on former foundry site

The housebuilder has requested a screening opinion from Northumberland County Council officers, to check if an environmental impact assessment is required should they decide to submit an outline planning application.

These documents indicate the housebuilder could build as many as 220 new homes on the brownfield site, which is near existing houses on Wembley Terrace.

Jamilah Hassan, community relations manager at the Banks Group, says: “Banks Property has owned the site of the former Vald Birn iron foundry in Cambois for many years, and originally won planning permission for a residential development on it back in 2012.

“We were unable to progress this project due to challenging conditions in the wider property market at the time, but remain committed to bringing forward a plan for the site’s sustainable redevelopment and are currently in the very earliest stages of exploring how this might now happen.

“As soon as there is anything concrete to say about the site’s future, we will ensure to consult fully with the local community about our proposals and highlight the economic, social, employment and environmental benefits that they would bring to the area.”

The nine-hectare site has been assigned as housing land in the Northumberland Local Plan.

Council officers’ response to the screening opinion request was that an environmental impact assessment would not be required.

The council officer’s report said: “Overall, the environmental impacts arising from the proposed development will be largely no more than localised to those properties and land adjacent to the development.

“These issues can be appropriately assessed through any planning application and can be satisfactorily mitigated through planning conditions and obligations if necessary.

“The magnitude and complexity of the proposals are not of a scale or nature that would result in additional substantive impact beyond the immediate local area.”

Banks Group is also attempting to secure outline planning permission for a site west of Wansbeck Road in Ashington.

This proposal has proven controversial, with 150 comments submitted on the county council’s planning portal and Ashington Town Council opposing the project.