Green light for new homes plan
Mar 17 2008 by Dave Black, The Journal
PLANS to build hundreds of new homes in a coastal town have been given the green light – despite opposition from the Duke of Northumberland and the local council.
The bid by Persimmon Homes for 260 houses next to the A1068 road on the outskirts of Amble has been approved by a Government-appointed planning inspector following a three-day public inquiry in January.
It was opposed by the Duke’s business wing, Northumberland Estates, and refused planning permission by Alnwick District Council in December.
They argued that the scheme would swallow up the town’s allocation of new homes in the period up to 2021, and thwart other potential developments, including the Duke’s plans for a supermarket and housing just off the town centre.
District council planning officials claimed greater priority should be given to town centre developments or re-use of brownfield sites.
Persimmon Homes had previously launched an appeal against the council’s non-determination of the application and planning inspector Jonathan King conducted a three-day inquiry in Alnwick in January, during which he visited the 25-acre site at Marks Bridge.
In his decision letter, Mr King says the council has been unable to identify what actual harm the development would bring to Amble or Alnwick district, although he concedes that the 260 homes would add significantly to a local over-supply of housing.
He says the scheme would help rectify an imbalance between the number of new homes being built in Amble and neighbouring Alnwick, as significant new development was needed in the coastal town to remedy the situation.
In addition, Persimmon’s pledge to make 91 of the homes affordable to local people would help tackle a severe shortage of such housing up to 2021 and beyond. Mr King says the council has also failed to produce evidence to back up its claim that the site is poorly located with respect to the town centre.
“It seems to me that the provision of a range of types of dwelling, in particular family housing and affordable units, would assist Amble generally in its regeneration objectives by providing suitable housing for local workers and greater support for the town centre and local employment.
“I also believe that addressing the development imbalance between Amble and Alnwick would assist these objectives.”
