World-leading South Shields firm Feller UK gets expansion green light - and it could create jobs
Plans for a leading manufacturing business to expand its operations in South Tyneside have been given the go-ahead by borough councillors.
South Tyneside Council’s Planning Committee, at a meeting this week, approved plans from Feller UK Ltd to extend its South Shields base, off Heddon Way, in the Middlefields Industrial Estate.
According to its website, the company is a “world leader in design and manufacture of international power cables and cord sets” and has four manufacturing locations across the world, including in the UK and USA.
Operations in the UK started in 1987 with production facilities and a sales office based in South Shields.
Back in 2023, the company applied to South Tyneside Council for planning permission to construct an extension to an existing warehouse unit and to provide a larger service yard area.
Council planning documents state the extension would have “a floorspace of 1278m2 which would bring the total floorspace of the unit to 4178m2”.
Sustainable drainage in the form of a “swale and underground cellular storage” was also proposed adjacent to and beneath the extended service yard.
Council planning officers said the extension itself would provide “additional storage facilities” and would allow the company to remain at the site, securing and retaining around 50 jobs. Approving the expansion, one councillor said the changes could actually create jobs in the future.
As part of a section 106 legal agreement, a standard part of the planning process, the applicant agreed to provide a financial contribution to the council to offset ecology and biodiversity impacts.
This included around £27,000 being provided towards “off-site habitat creation and enhancement”, which councillors requested should be spent within the local area.
The proposals were presented for discussion and decision at a meeting of the council’s Planning Committee on Monday, December 16, at South Shields Town Hall.
Some councillors on the committee raised concerns about surface water drainage, given the site’s close proximity to the Tyne Dock area which faces flooding issues during heavy rainfall.
Council planners, responding, said a ‘sustainable urban drainage system’ scheme on the site would help “hold back the water” and discharge it at an “acceptable rate” into existing sewers.
Councillor Shirley Ford also raised concerns about external lighting at the site impacting wildlife given its location, and asked whether an illuminated storage area could be moved to a different part of the site.
Council planning officers said these changes could affect the operation of the site, which had been designed with the manoeuvring of vehicles in mind, including HGVs.
Councillor Andrew Guy described the plan as a “great scheme” and welcomed a business based in South Tyneside “expanding its operations”.
Councillor Joan Keegan said the plan would help maintain jobs at the site and could potentially allow the business to expand its workforce in future.
Councillor Paul Brenen added: “I welcome the application and think it will be great for the area with the employment and the expansion of the business.
“I do share some concerns about the flooding as well but overall, I’m happy with the [planning officer’s] reply in regards to that and I think it will be great for the area.”
After being put to the vote, the plans were approved in line with the recommendation of council planning officers.
A report published ahead of the meeting said the development was “acceptable in principle, and in terms of its impact upon visual amenity, highway safety, biodiversity, residential amenity, drainage and flooding and land contamination subject to conditions.”
The planning permission is subject to the “completion of a legal agreement to ensure that some off-site habitat creation/enhancement is provided for that, together with the on-site habitat creation/enhancement proposed, would provide for a net gain in biodiversity.”
For more information on the planning application or council decision, visit South Tyneside Council’s planning portal website and search reference: ST/0721/23/FUL