New plans lodged for derelict ex-garage site

Fresh plans have been submitted for the redevelopment of the former Blackburn and Price garage site in Berwick.
Homes are proposed on the former Blackburn and Price garage site in Berwick.Homes are proposed on the former Blackburn and Price garage site in Berwick.
Homes are proposed on the former Blackburn and Price garage site in Berwick.

Lindisfarne Homes has lodged a planning application to build seven houses on the derelict site.

The site on Palace Street East currently has planning approval for 37 houses and apartments.

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The new application proposes to substitute 18 of the apartments in a three and four storey block onto Oil Mill Lane for the seven houses.

The houses would be three-and-a-half storeys in terraced formation onto Oil Mill Lane with car parking and servicing from an inner shared court.

A report by consultants Queensberry Design Ltd, on behalf of the developers, states: ‘The existing structures on the site are in a derelict state and are currently have a negative impact on the conservation area. The proposed development will have public benefit in bringing underused land back into use for housing.

‘The already approved apartment block will be considerably taller than the existing industrial buildings on the site, however this has been accepted as part of the previous approval.

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‘The layout has been developed in response to market demands, developer requirements and comments from Northumberland County Council in the pre-application advice.

‘The developed footprint, scale and mass of the proposals are similar to the current approval.

‘The proposal consists of three-bedroom, five-person homes, in a traditional terraced formation. The materials used for the terrace block are in keeping with the surrounding area, with the use of render, feature artstone window surrounds, slate roof tiles with chimneys, in accordance with the already approved scheme.’

There have been two objections from local residents.

Dr Rodney Sobey, of Weddells Lane, has called for the new development to have a pink stone facade.

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He said: “Heritage buildings in the immediate neighbourhood have exclusively Berwick pink stone facades, on lower Ravensdowne, on Palace Street East to Palace Green, and on Silver Street, as well as the Old Corn Exchange and the Stables in Foul Ford. A few are painted over, but the overwhelming facade is Berwick pink stone.”

Monica Menis, of Ravensdowne, has concern over the glut of new developments in the area with knock-on effects for traffic.

“New developments are great, but they need to have space and land to park and drive and move,” she said.

Berwick Town Council’s planning committee is likely to discuss the plans at its next meeting before a final decision is made by Northumberland County Council.