The free tool that keeps you informed about changes - including the cost of parking - in South Tyneside

Have you ever discovered that a new development has been approved near your home and wished you had known about it sooner? Or found out about a road closure only after setting off on a journey?

Public notices exist precisely to prevent that – and if you know where to look, they can help you stay one step ahead.

An easy place to find public notices is the Public Notice Portal – a free, fully searchable platform where you can look up notices by postcode, category or local authority. You can also register for email alerts, choosing to receive updates daily, weekly or monthly, so relevant notices land directly in your inbox.

If you search the Public Notice Portal today (Monday) and enter South Shields Town Hall’s postcode - NE33 2RL - you will see that there are 136 public notices associated with that area.

One of them gives crucial information about changes to public car park fees which will apply on the day of the Great North Run - Sunday, September 13.

On this date, all-day parking in the following car parks will rise from £8 to £10 a day: Harbour Drive North Car Park, Harbour Drive South car and coach Park, Marsden Lea car and coach park; Pier Head car and coach park; Pier Parade car and coach park; South Promenade North car park; South Promenade South car park; The Dragon car park and its extension, Trow Quarry car park, South Shields and Whitburn Bents car park, Whitburn.

The hourly parking rate will remain at £1.60.

In the following car parks, the all-day fee will rise from £4 to £10: Charlotte Street North car park; Charlotte Street South car park; Charlotte Street West car park; Interchange car park, North Street car park; Oyston Street car park; Salem Street car park and Thomas Street car park, South Shields.

Parking will remain free for the first hour and then £1 per hour after that.

And in the following car parks, drivers will still be charged £1.20 an hour, but an all-day ticket will cost £10 instead of £6: Beach Road East, South Shields, the northwest side from a point 30m southwest of its junction with Sea Road in a south westwards direction for 35m and from a point 85m southwest of its junction with Sea Road in a south westwards direction for 120m; Beach Road, South Shields, the southeast side from a point 25m northeast of its junction with Bents Park Rd in a north eastwards direction to a point 56m southwest of its junction with Sea Road.

The all-day fees will revert to their lower rates the following day.

Who can post a notice – and how?

Notices on the portal are submitted by registered local news publishers on behalf of those who need them placed. This could be a solicitor administering a will, a business applying for a licence, or a local council giving notice of a planning application or road closure.

Local news publishers, including The Shields Gazette, upload all the notices that appear in their title to the portal, which displays nearly 14,000 live notices at any given time.

Why do public notices matter?

Public notices underpin local democracy. They ensure transparency and accountability, giving communities the chance to engage with decisions that might otherwise pass unnoticed – from a proposed housing development to a change in local licensing.

Without them, the power to shape your local area would rest entirely with the decision-makers, not the people most affected.

Types of public notices

The Public Notice Portal organises notices into different categories. They are:

• Planning – applications for new buildings, extensions and changes of use. If a developer submits plans to build new homes in an area of South Tyneside, you can search the Public Notice Portal by postcode to find the application and submit your comments before the deadline.
• Traffic and roads – road closures, diversions, parking changes and speed limit alterations.
• Alcohol and licensing – applications by pubs, restaurants, shops and event organisers to sell alcohol or hold licensable events. If a new venue in South Tyneside is applying for a licence, you can find the notice on the portal and raise any concerns with the licensing authority within the stated timeframe.
• Goods vehicle licensing, probate and trustee, contract and tender, statutory notices and other discretionary notices are also covered – making the portal a single, reliable destination for the full range of official public announcements.

To search for public notices in South Tyneside, visit publicnoticeportal.uk