Council issues formal planning approval for extension of The Blink Bonny Hotel at Christon Bank

Councillors gave the green light to a rear extension of the Blink Bonny in Christon Bank in December 2022.

The application by Jonathan Barber also included the demolition of an existing conservatory.

Northumberland County Council has now issued a formal approval notice of planning permission subject to planning conditions and a financial contribution of £2,880.00 towards the Coastal Mitigation Service.

A report to members provided an update on the recent adoption of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) by the Government.

It states: ‘The Government has updated the NPPF. The most significant changes are in relation to the use of the standard method for calculating housing requirements, and the five-year housing supply and housing delivery test in the context of the presumption in favour of sustainable development.

‘Given that the council has an up-to-date Local Plan and strong housing delivery, and given that this application proposes the enlargement of a hotel rather than the provision of new housing, this application is not directly affected.’

The proposals had been recommended for refusal by planners due to the “design, scale and massing” of the scheme but they were approved by the North Northumberland Local Area Council following impassioned pleas from councillors about the importance of keeping the village’s last remaining community space.